Hello again!

I have, I think, a more challenging question than
my last one.  This artifact is in a museum
collection from the excavation of a pottery site
that dates to between 1860 and 1895.  The pottery
was here in Salt Lake City, Utah.  The artifacts
recovered included numerous fragments of complex
plaster molds.  This particular artifact is made
of plaster, but is slightly discolored and is more
granular than the other molds. While I have
theories as to what the object is, has anyone out
there with experience excavating a pottery seen
something like this?

I posted the image at auction patrol .com, and you
can view the picture at:
<http://www.auctionpatrol.net/FREEHOST/scarlett@xm
ission.com/whatsit.jpg>
The picture will be on the site until March 3rd or
so, then it will be automatically deleted.

My observations:
The "exterior" (bottom of photo) is smooth.  The
"interior" is rougher and has radial troughs.  The
center of the artifact is smooth, and the curve
may not quite match the exterior curve.  The piece
has two holes drilled clear though and the inside
has some holes that did not go all the way
through.

Any thoughts?
Tim
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Timothy Scarlett
University of Nevada, Reno
Department of Anthropology / 096
Reno, NV 89557-0096

355 West 500 North
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
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"Me, I'm a hick, and I dance like one.
 I just kind of jump around and grin."
               -- Greg Brown.
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