Name This Artifact

[RobRich]

Really, someone tell me what the heck this thing is!











The object was excavated from a pre-civil war plantation site in Georgia between 1950-1960. It was found over eight feet straight down in the ground.

Upon precursory appraisal, the object was believed to be at a minimum of 200 years old due to the logistics of the dig site. All examiners agree the object is certianly not of American construction or origin due to the forging techniques, thus it has definitely been imported.

Simple metallurgical analysis by drilling a test sample performed before my acquisition yielded the object is comprised entirely of hand-hammered bronze. The once independent pieces have been crudely “soldered” to the main body with a comparatively early forging process.

Upon later further examination by a moderately qualified expert, the object was estimated as possibly being a museum quality piece (2000+ years old?!) given the condition and forging techniques.

The object has not been before an accredited archeological review panel, though that will be the next step in determining the age of the potential artifact.

However, one question remains, what is it? None I have spoken with seem to know the purpose of this artifact, its original origins, or the meaning of the cat-like symbol appearing on what I will term the “handle.”

Egyptian mythology speaks of cat gods, one of the rare few cultures to pay tribute to the cat, though none to date can confirm this to be an Egyptian artifact.

Approximate dimensions: 10.5" long, 4.5" tall, 4.5" wide

Before someone asks, the small rubber feet have been lightly applied so as to not scratch my display table.

Robert Richmond

[Gait_Keeper]

I have no clue

many uneducated guesses

aladin's lamp hit by a lightening burst by the Genie so he/she could not be put back (hence the crude soldering)

[OuTpaTienT]

In picture 3, that hole...is it there by design or is that where they drilled for a metal sample?

[RobRich]

Yes, the small center hole is the drill hole for the metal sample test performed around the time of the excavation.

[nomaxim]

Looks to be some sort of fluid container/pourer.

Perhaps used to pour anything from rinse water in a bath, massage oil, maybe even a milk pitcher.

The cat is a good call, however the designs around the rim appear to be a more Greco-Roman style.

Wait till I get home in about an hour and I'll look alittle more.

[RobRich]

Quote:

the designs around the rim appear to be a more Greco-Roman style

That is one piece of information I have not evaluated before. I look forwarded to any insights into the markings that you may have.

I did not come into direct possession of this object until recent weeks as it has been floating about the family since the 1960’s, thus I have had little time to study it beyond the information that was loosely gathered during the period of the 1950's excavation. In fact I did not know this object even existed until late 2002.

Robert Richmond

[OuTpaTienT]

With the tall legs like that it would seem to me that possibly they would set it over a small flame or candle to warm whatever the contents were. [shrug]

[U-96]

I concur with nomaxim, Mediterranean origins or perhaps North African. Is there a history of French or Spanish settlement in that part of Georgia? My guess would be that is was brought by a European family that settled there.

Either that, or it's a very convincing and elegant forgery

I must say the sample hole is exceptionally shoddy, a sign of the times I guess, when larger samples were needed before digital spectroscopy and so on, but it has effectively ruined any functionality for the piece...

[RobRich]

I would believe some idiot testing for possible gold content originally drilled the sample hole (who knows?). Either way, a large sample would have been required for chemical testing to determine the base metal. No fancy digital equipment back then.

Importation via settlement of immigrating western Europeans is the expected source. Also, as expected, the family would have brought great wealth with them due to their status as large plantation owners.

There is a seriously bizarre (yet legitimate and documentable) story about how my family ended up with this piece, though that discussion will have to be for another time and place.

Robert Richmond

[RADAR1797]

It looks like a gravy train to me.

-RADAR