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Originally Posted by fernando
I'd go back to that hole. It must be there for some reason. Was there some appendix stuck in it ?
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I'm trying to figure this out logically:
--it's likely not a hay harpoon or similar, because there's no barb on the sharp end.
--it's likely not a weaponoid artifact, because there's no good evidence that the sharp end was sharpened to make it look like a weapon. The swinging bit does act as a blade guard for the sharp end, because it won't swing around the heavy end, and the ring to close it only closes the sharp end.
--The ends are asymmetric, and there's a hole in the heavy end. This suggests that there's a purpose to the design, and possibly that purpose is not confusing collectors.
--The joint for the swivel is fairly thin, which makes it less likely to be a fulcrum for a heavy weight (as in a butcher's gambrel) or a scale.
So what have we got? I still don't know.
One thing I'm starting to wonder is whether it's part of some sort of booby trap, where the sharp end gets swiveled out by the action of a string on the heavy end.
The other thought is that it's the most over-built tent stake I've ever seen (sharp end goes in the ground, heavy end is used as the tie-off, and sheath makes it easier to carry).