Help. What have I found?

[Djack41]

Recently, I was hiking the woods of a state park in middle Tennessee when I saw these items laying in the leaves. The park was built in the 1930s by the CCC Corp and was occasionally used by the army for training during WW ll. I think the items are relics. They appear to be a mortar smoke round and smoke grenades.

 

The relics seem to be made mostly of aluminum. The fins of the mortar(?) are spread by springs and it has a number stamped on the side. The grenades(?) have numbers stamped on the bottom. There are remnants of red paint on each item.

 

Can anyone tell me details of what I have found? Thanks for your help!

 

 

 

 

[LuftStalg1]

Any pictures?

[FNGRyan]

Pictures would be nice to help us identify the items and their age

Ryan

[custer1]

You probably should not be fessin' up to taking "artifacts" or "relics" from a State Park, especially in an online forum.

 

There is federal law (although I can't cite it without digging it up, pun intended) that prohibits such activity on fed lands (example: CW artifacts from National Battlefields, etc). I imagine same type of laws for state owned lands.

 

Suggest you delete this post and do not post photos....

 

Regards, jdb

[Luxembourg]

What I know is that these laws are only in force when the relic is under a defined distance under the ground?

[custer1]

What I know is that these laws are only in force when the relic is under a defined distance under the ground?

 

 

I would tend to think not. "Surface finds" still count as protected resources. Again, one needs to study the federal law and appropriate state laws.

 

For example:

 

http://www.blm.gov/n..._artifacts.html

 

While the above is focused on "arrowheads" on BLM land, it does cite related federal law and codes. Further, uses terms such as "collecting artifacts" and "removal." The broad idea is that both the natural and cultural resources on (or in) public lands are part of the public trust, excavated or not.

 

The below link has the Tennessee state codes/laws in there somewhere:

http://capone.mtsu.e...ARCH/index.html

 

The final arbitrator on what constitutes a proctected artifact would be the governing authority. While clearly last season's empty beer cans would most likely not be deemed protected resources, items that are directly linked a past use of the land likely would. That is, a "use" of the land deemed historically or culturally significant, and which may well be part of the reason the land was designated a park.

 

Take only pictures and leave only footprints.... or something like that.

[strawberry 9]

Pictures would be great. However, until you know what they are I think I would leave them alone. Smoke grenade or no they are still unstable/explosive/flammable. I think I would just notify the authorities and let them deal with them. You don't want that stuff in your house.

[firefighter]

Just be careful that the rounds may still 'LIVE'.From your description not sure if these are parts of a round or the whole round or grenade.If the pin is still in place it's probably still live.

[LuftStalg1]

Just remembered a bit in the movie "October Sky" where the boys were blamed for a forest fire and proved there innocents because the rocket that started the fire had spring loaded fins and turned out to be some kind of flare. So that may help ID the one at least.

[firefighter]

In other words, don't screw around with unexploded ordnance.

[LuftStalg1]

In other words, don't screw around with unexploded ordnance.

 

 

I think that goes without saying, but it sounds like he has already carried them off!

 

My comment was just trying to ID the one.

 

They could all be dummies or use or unused so I would contact the local authorities to check them out. You don't need to incriminate your self as to the location of the find but you DO need to have them checked out.

 

I have disposed of live 20mm aircraft rounds that way. But if they deem them safe then you can hang on to them.

[firefighter]

I think that goes without saying, but it sounds like he has already carried them off!

 

My comment was just trying to ID the one.

 

They could all be dummies or use or unused so I would contact the local authorities to check them out. You don't need to incriminate your self as to the location of the find but you DO need to have them checked out.

 

I have disposed of live 20mm aircraft rounds that way. But if they deem them safe then you can hang on to them.

 

 

Thats how I took it to.I just didn't want him to start trying to clean them off or take them apart.I guess that's what I was trying to say, call somebody (police) or if near a military base the EOD team.I had my ex father in-law do that when he had an old artillery round that didn't seem right.