It looks a lot like the end of a crochet hook.  These were often made of
bone though and I have no idea what the slit at the end would be.

Jennifer Faberson
Historic Materials Specialist
Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dan
Trepal
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 11:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Mystery artifact...ID help?

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for a little help identifying an artifact.

The artifact was collected during excavation in a cannon boring mill at
the 1817-1912 West Point Foundry site. It was found in context with late
19th-century tobacco pipe fragments. It has a tapering, cylindrical
cross-section with a grooved collar and a rounded head with a straight,
narrow slit across the top and extending down the sides. the other end is
broken. I am not sure what material it's made from, though it may be clay,
hard and cool to the touch. It looks as though it has been turned on a
lathe, and the grooves are very sharp and straight. The broken end looks
as though it may have been cut rather than simply broken.

Photos:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/danthearcheologist/artifact_ID/001.jp
g

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/danthearcheologist/artifact_ID/002.jp
g

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/danthearcheologist/artifact_ID/003.jp
g


Any ideas?

Regards,


Dan

-- 
Daniel J. Trepal
Masters Candidate
Industrial Archaeology
Michigan Technological University
Social Sciences Dept.
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931
http://www.social.mtu.edu/IA/iahm.html
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