Dear Keith,
Thanks so much for the information. It's super helpful - a couple of other
people also suggested that it is part of a battery, so it seems more than
likely. I don't suppose you know of any references to any of these artifacts
that are in press? It would be really useful to both Lydia and I if there was a
report or other publication of some kind we could reference for our battery
related artifacts.
Many thanks,
Sarah
________________________________
From: "Doms, Keith" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Mon, 15 November, 2010 8:35:48
Subject: Re: Mystery object, East Africa
I have encountered something very similar but the core is some highly
compress black compound not solid metal. I believe that it is a
segmented battery core. The thin plastic appears to help hold the
material together and keep its shape.
Keith
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Sarah Croucher
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 5:35 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Mystery object, East Africa
Dear List-members,
I'm sending the following from Lydia Wilson-Marshall, a PhD student at
the
University of Virginia. She sends the following:
I have a mystery artifact that I was hoping you could help me identify.
I
recovered what I think may be an early 20th-century battery or battery
part at
Awamthoya, a late 19th to early 20th century Giriama homestead. The
artifact
was found in a STP, so stratigraphy is unclear. It may be modern and
not
relate to the occupation, but I think it is more likely to be from the
occupation--Awmathoya was abandoned 1910-1920ish. Its metal core is
encased on
the edges in a type of flexible plastic (bakelite? celluloid?). It
may not
even be a battery, perhaps part of a weapon? I'm more than a little
lost on
this one.
***
The site in question is located near the Kenyan coast, but I have also
found an
artifact which appears to be the same at a site on Zanzibar. If anyone
would
like to see a picture, you should be able to access one at the following
link:
https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/home/scroucher/Archaeology%20pictures/IMG_
5241_reduced.jpg
Feel free to send replies to me off list at [log in to unmask] I
will also
forward any replies on to Lydia.
Many thanks,
Sarah Croucher
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