Recognize excavated iron object?

This iron object was excavated recently in Cecil County, MD. The finder consulted a museum to have it identified, and the museum asked me. I don’t know, do you?

 

Looks like it may be just bog iron. Topography of find would be a clue to that.

 

Rusty piece of pig iron/slag from one of the many iron foundries in the area.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/20083180?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

 

Any chance there were any sea battles with the British nearby?
Maybe it’s a hot shot or rigging and sail scrap shot?

 

i'd have it x-rayed...

 

I re-read the finder’s email. He says he found the item in the Lower Susquehanna River in Cecil County.

Any chance it could have looked like this long ago?

 

Seems believable to my eyes.

 

me too...but on the one shown....that handle ain't goin anywhere...any time soon....so..?

 

It looks to me like it was rough before it corroded

 

Thanks for the comments. I recommended x-ray and also that he consult a professional regarding how to preserve it. I’m guessing the sudden transition from fresh water immersion to dry air will have consequences, and probably soon.

 

At least long enough to figure out what it is.......

 

Good question. The finder thinks it is an artillery projectile possibly from the War of 1812. I’ve given him my opinion that it isn’t. Whatever it is, the finder is very fond of it and suspects it may have significant historical value. I think he’d be very sad if the piece crumbled to dust, thus my suggestion to look into preserving it.

 

Hmmmm.... heard that idea somewhere before...

 

He thanked me and asked if there’s a good reference book he could get.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Encyclopedia_of_Black_Powder_Artillery_P.html?id=m_jYmQEACAAJ

 

Thanks, his focus is the War of 1812, he authored a book on the topic.

 

A museum conservator once told me, for old iron in general:

1) Warm it gently and slowly to dry it out. Just hot to the touch all the way through. (I put stuff on top of the woodstove for 1 day or sometimes half the winter if I like looking at it.)

2) Dunk in beeswax.

3) Warm again enough to remove excess wax.



(Certainly not for possibly live projectiles of course.)

 

Thanks I’ll pass to the finder.

 

I think the last conservation person I worked with said no to beeswax. Metal conservation is difficult but I think they were using Paraloid/Acryloid b-67 or b-72 but you can probably check online.