A VERY CURIOUS ITEM. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT IT MAY HAVE ORIGINALLY HAD ANOTHER ATTACHMENT POINT ACROSS THE HOLE FROM THE REMAINING ONE. SOME EXPLODING CANNON PROJECTILES HAD EYES WHERE YOU COULD PICK THEM UP WITH HOOKS TO HOIST THEM INTO THE CANNONS BARREL TO POSITION IT FOR LIGHTING THE FUSE AND REMOVE THE HOOKS AND SEAT IT ON THE WADDING THEN LIGHT THE FUZE AND FIRE. MOST OF THE ONES I HAVE SEEN WERE A LOT LARGER AND TOOK 2 MEN ONE ON EACH HOOK. SO THAT IS A POSSIBILITY. IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OF THREADS OR ANYTHING INSIDE THE HOLES FOR ATTACHING A FUZE MECHINISM.?
ON THE BALL AND CHAIN THE CHAIN AND POINT OF ATTACHMENT ARE A LOT HEAVIER AND ALL MADE OF STEEL SO IT COULD NOT BE BROKEN AS EASILY AS CAST METAL. THE CHAINS WERE ALSO KEPT SHORT SO THE PRISONER COULD NOT PICK IT UP AND WALK UP-RIGHT BUT IN A AWKWARD STOOP WHERE IT WAS IMPOSIBLE TO RUN.
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