All,
I'm new to the board so hopefully I won't screw this up. Several years ago myself and several friends were "caving" near my childhood home in South Central Kentucky. This cave is very large and very long. I believe much of it is still unexplored. The entrance is located in a rural area very near a well known civil war battlefield.
We had traveled nearly two hours into the cave and encountered a large rockfall that blocked the main passageway. Water streamed through the center of the passage and was flowing freely from beneath the obstructions. After some close examination, we located a little used "hole" under one of the boulders small enough for a young guy to slip through. A few of us climbed underneath and the passage opened up into a massive grotto that intersected a larger (and very deep) passageway with many levels both up and down.
There had been a lot of rain recently and the floor of the passage was very muddy and slick, so we decided it would be best to come back at a later time with some better gear and continue on. After doubling back, we made our way back through the hole. I was the last one through and climbed out just as my buddies were beginning to make their way back towards the entrance. I was carrying a Coleman Lantern and paused for a moment to give it a few good pumps. When I set it down on a nearby rock, I noticed a glimmer of silver in the muddy water my friends had just trampled through. Instinctively I reached down and pulled the thing out.
It came out of the thick clay as one slender and heavy piece covered in muck, so I gave it a good rinsing in the water and below was what I found.
It definitely appears to be a sword blade. I don't physically have it with me at the moment, but from memory and the pics, here are the particulars:
Length: ~26"
Width: ~1.5"
Thickness: ~ 1/8" (unsharpened side)
It has one sharpened edge, appears to be "stainless," and is covered with a lot of hardened sand deposits.
Note the business end, it looks corroded. (It was buried in the clay) It is difficult to tell if it was pointed, but it appears to have been.
The "hilt" end is definitely brass like (maybe gold, but I don't think so). You can see some wearing on the close-up pic. That rusty bit coming out of it is probably iron or plain steel.
I have looked it over very closely and there are no symbols or lettering anywhere.
Some more notes:
- It was underwater, partially buried in clay, rocks, and sand.
- I didn't really get a chance to look around the spot much more (dumb), and vowed to return later.
- I was back a couple of years later. I still didn't get to search intently, but I followed a gap above the rockfall and it opened up into a vertical passage. I felt airflow, followed it, and it opened up in the middle of a large field on the surface.
- I haven't been back since, but some internet research revealed that the field was in the retreat path of the confederates following the battle.
That's about all I have! I'm in the military and rarely get to go back home, let alone go caving. I would appreciate any help or insight anyone might provide!!! I have some these images at higher quality if anyone is interested. Thanks!
I'm new to the board so hopefully I won't screw this up. Several years ago myself and several friends were "caving" near my childhood home in South Central Kentucky. This cave is very large and very long. I believe much of it is still unexplored. The entrance is located in a rural area very near a well known civil war battlefield.
We had traveled nearly two hours into the cave and encountered a large rockfall that blocked the main passageway. Water streamed through the center of the passage and was flowing freely from beneath the obstructions. After some close examination, we located a little used "hole" under one of the boulders small enough for a young guy to slip through. A few of us climbed underneath and the passage opened up into a massive grotto that intersected a larger (and very deep) passageway with many levels both up and down.
There had been a lot of rain recently and the floor of the passage was very muddy and slick, so we decided it would be best to come back at a later time with some better gear and continue on. After doubling back, we made our way back through the hole. I was the last one through and climbed out just as my buddies were beginning to make their way back towards the entrance. I was carrying a Coleman Lantern and paused for a moment to give it a few good pumps. When I set it down on a nearby rock, I noticed a glimmer of silver in the muddy water my friends had just trampled through. Instinctively I reached down and pulled the thing out.
It came out of the thick clay as one slender and heavy piece covered in muck, so I gave it a good rinsing in the water and below was what I found.
It definitely appears to be a sword blade. I don't physically have it with me at the moment, but from memory and the pics, here are the particulars:
Length: ~26"
Width: ~1.5"
Thickness: ~ 1/8" (unsharpened side)
It has one sharpened edge, appears to be "stainless," and is covered with a lot of hardened sand deposits.
Note the business end, it looks corroded. (It was buried in the clay) It is difficult to tell if it was pointed, but it appears to have been.
The "hilt" end is definitely brass like (maybe gold, but I don't think so). You can see some wearing on the close-up pic. That rusty bit coming out of it is probably iron or plain steel.
I have looked it over very closely and there are no symbols or lettering anywhere.
Some more notes:
- It was underwater, partially buried in clay, rocks, and sand.
- I didn't really get a chance to look around the spot much more (dumb), and vowed to return later.
- I was back a couple of years later. I still didn't get to search intently, but I followed a gap above the rockfall and it opened up into a vertical passage. I felt airflow, followed it, and it opened up in the middle of a large field on the surface.
- I haven't been back since, but some internet research revealed that the field was in the retreat path of the confederates following the battle.
That's about all I have! I'm in the military and rarely get to go back home, let alone go caving. I would appreciate any help or insight anyone might provide!!! I have some these images at higher quality if anyone is interested. Thanks!
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