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Found this on a farm where iron age has turned up.

It looks like a container of sorts but is open at both ends.

Baffling me. Any ideas?

Haven't got a clue ??? it reminded me of the end of an Indian flute, like they use to charm snakes. I'm sure someone will have a better idea.

Val

BOB,ITS HOARSE FURNITURE I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS HORN PROTECTERS FOR SHEEP ETC.BUT ITS NOT.PROB MADE OF BRASS...I HAVE FOUR...THEY WERE FITTED TO THE LEATHER STRAPS AND SADLES MAINLY SCREWED...

I have a few of these as well. I saw an exact example in the Glastonbury abbey museum; they claimed it was some sort of receptacle for oil or water that pilgrims would have brought but I’m not too sure myself- maybe.

I'm glad this topic has come up, because I also have one of these! Although I had no idea what it was, I would believe Saxonman's theory is the right one, since generally I am only turning up coins and artifacts where I am from about 1650 onwards. It never seemed too old to me, that's why I never really bothered looking into it any further.

Thanks for all the info.

I'm not sure at all what this is Bob. I'm sure I've seen one and probably found one myself and thought it was off furniture, but I can't track down a definite ID.

Hi All
These are common farm finds and they are cow  horn protectors  ;D- they are placed over horns to prevent harm to humans and I guess other cows. Thats what Ive been told and it seems logical- Hope this helps

Hi guys here the pics as you can see on top of collar around its neck ;D www.jellywormman.net/whhs/photos.php?sfpg=V2Vzc2V4X1Bsb3VnaGluZ18yMDA3LyowMS5qcGcqKmltYWdlZm9ybSoqNzQ1NDhlMTYzOTk5MWI5N2EwYTE0NDgwZjAzNTY2NjM (http://www.jellywormman.net/whhs/photos.php?sfpg=V2Vzc2V4X1Bsb3VnaGluZ18yMDA3LyowMS5qcGcqKmltYWdlZm9ybSoqNzQ1NDhlMTYzOTk5MWI5N2EwYTE0NDgwZjAzNTY2NjM)

WELL DONE FALCON MORE OR LESS PROVED MY POINT.I TO THOUGHT THEY WERE HORN PROTECTERS UNTIL RECENTLEY....HORSE FUNITURE OF COARSE!!!!

 now i would have thought that that was to go on the end of the blinds or curtain rope, with the knot going in the wider end.

 from  what i know horn protectors look different to that,  i have found a couple with rotted horn type material still inside,

Alan

now then, after another look and another think  i think they may be the handles from the old tools they used to use at the fireside,  open coal fires,   pokers ect, i can't remember the name of the set now,

were'nt they called " companion sets " alan ? poker,shovel,tongs and brush..... ;)....byron

 ha ha,  thats it Byron,  i remembered late last night mate. lol  thanks.

 here's a pic of some of mine,  the centre one still has a stick of rusted iron in it, a Poker, ???
 there use to be a stand with short arms coming out,  the tools used to slot into a V shape just below the bulbulouse bit,

With a horn protector you see a thread inside where they
would have twisted it on the horn companion sets normally
pushed on to the poker and you would have a locking nut
on top

I forgot to say a horn protector  has a coarse
thread inside to cut its own groves

 HI Steve yes, iv'e got them on mine mate

 P.S.  you can see the remains of the nuts on top of two of these,

yes they are pokers and i dont really want to look  at your nuts  :o :o :o

Looking at Al's pictures I'd say the middle one is like mine. I'll go with the poker id.

Thanks!  ;D

TALKED TO AN EXPERT AT CHELTHAM CLUB.HE SAYS THEY ARE HOARSE FURNITURE AS FALCON EXPLAINED.AND SOME POSSIBLY HORN PROTECTORS.
WHATS A POKER DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD?????I HAVE FOUND ONE THE OTHER DAY WITH A LONG PIECE OF THIN IRON ATTACHED TO IT,CURVED AS FALCON SHOWED.NO POKER UNLESS THERE WAS A FIRE IN MIDDLE FOR SOMEONE TO POKE!!!!

Well, it's exactly as the middle one in the picture he put on here.

Saying "what's a poker doing in the middle of a field" is a daft comment! You should know what things turn up
where you'd least expect them!!!!!!  Perhaps they had a fire going in the field and used the poker to keep the fire going?  ;D

He's produced the picture of 'poker handles' which the middle one is identical to mine with his having the iron still attached.

I just can't see how mine would have fitted on a horse. Sorry.

Exactly RJM, how many pastry jiggers have been found in the middle of fields? ever tried rolling pastry on grass ;D

I'm not telling what I've been rolling on grass with !!!!!   ;)

 ha ha yes the pastry jiggers too, you know what kids are like they could have taken it out of an old house that was once there, or it could have got lost in the garden that was once there too,
 the curved one could have been the tongs,

Of Coarse there are loads of different types,  but these are the acorn  types  simular to this one,   at one time acorn symbles were banned and had to be cut off everything too,

I found a small brass hinge crossing a field yesterday, what was that doing in the middle of nowhere. More important where is the box it came off and what was in it. Now I've got to go back and find out.  >:( ;D

Why did acorn symbals have to be cut off?????

Val

 ohhh some king or other banned them Val can't remember why now,  i can't remember the king now either , not sure if it was henry the 8th though,  it carried on for years after,

Well, praps it was something to do with cutting nuts off :o  woops excuse me its Sundays isn't it. :-[

 ha ha,  nar  i think it was some thing to do with cutting off peoples luck ect that they wanted to bring down. it went on for a couple of hundred years i think

Acorn: During the Norman Conquest, the English carried dried acorns to protect themselves from the brutalities of the day. Considered to be an emblem of luck, prosperity, youthfulness and power, the Acorn is a good luck symbol indeed! It also represents spiritual growth.

 when i had my website i had the info up on there,
Alan

Thanks for the info Al. That makes perfect sense :-\

Got any idea how long ago iron wood wedges were used? I found one today. Didn't find any more of the box that the little hinge came off though. Does any one know anything about pottery?

Val