To all:
Once again, the Archaeology Unit of the NCDOT has the pleasure of trying to
identify an artifact that was brought in by one of the biologists on our
staff.  A little background information to start: main structure of the
biologist's grandmother property in Nash Co., NC was built circa 1830s.  The
artifact itself was found in an outbuilding, presumed to be a cookhouse and
built during the same era.  The item appears to be a small wooden tube, much
like a cigar tube, separated into two pieces.  One piece slides over the
other piece.  Piece 1 measures about 4.5" long with a collar measuring 1.25"
long over which Piece 2 slides.  Piece 2 measures about 2.25" long.
Interior diameter of Piece 1 measures 15/16" with an outer diameter of about
1".  Both pieces appear to have been turned on a lather because an indented
point occurs at either end of the pieces.  The item was located either in
the material below the floorboards of the cookhouse or within its walls.
Many have suspected that it is a tobacco holder given the agricultural
nature of the region during the nineteenth century, but no one here as
actually seen such an item.  Photographs are available upon request.  Please
direct requests to [log in to unmask] and I will send them off-list.

Thanks,
Paul J. Mohler
NCDOT Archaeologist

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