Old finds

From what we have been able to work out our home was built in 1885. As a result we have found lots of little bits and pieces in the dirt outside. Normally we come across things like this:

I love the thrill of coming across an old item in the dirt. There is something enchanting about imagining how it got there and who used to use it. Our favourite finds thus far have been an old coin-like 'token' and what we can only imagine was a small sample lid from a tiny pot. (The man who built our home was a potter and we believe he used to pot under the house.) So our finds thus far have been sweet little items that we now cherish and display. Imagine then my surprise to come home and find out that The Gas Man had unearthed these:

Yep those two bits on the left are bullet shells. The large piece on the right is a bone, as is the small piece bottom right. The piece in the middle is some kind of metal.

Of course our minds are now in overdrive imagining various wild scenarios. Could it be that someone was shot, killed and buried? Or have we unearthered a grave? Could it be a dog (perhaps put out of his/her misery when ill)? Or what about a masked intruder or a kangaroo or cow killed for meat? (Our Homeless House-guest is betting on the much more benign option of the items being simply a collection of discarded rubbish, tossed out and buried long ago.)

We really don't know. And I'm loathe to ring up the 'authorities' and mumble something about a bullet and some bones, lest we end up on Channel 7 tonight. I'll keep you posted...

Picture for sizing- the knife is a small steak knife.