A Load of Old Musket Balls:

Wikipedia says this about the word 'MUSKET':

"According to the Etymology Dictionary, firearms were often named after animals, and the word musket derived from the French word mousquette, which is a male sparrowhawk. - An alternative theory is that derives from the 16th century French mousquet, -ette, from the Italian moschetto, -etta, meaning the bolt of a crossbow. The Italian moschetto is a diminutive of mosca, a fly."

1664 image

("Guns" are so called from an anglo-latin 14th century woman's name 'GUNHILDA')

So we are talking about stuff that can be seriously old. - I'm continuously amazed at how much firearms & ammo related relics are discovered by treasure hunters in Europe .. Nicole White who "mudlarks" on Youtube - mostly under the banks of London's River Thames is constantly recovering both fired & unfired small arms ammunition from the slimy mud - some 70 to a hundred years old.

But when these guys go into the fields and forests using metal detectors they often collect musket balls together with coins and other ancient finds.

Museum archeologists don't like it when treasure hunters find stuff without recording and mapping it's exact locations - as they claim that history is being destroyed .. but without the devoted hobby searchers the finds wouldn't be discovered in the first place.

There is just so much of this stuff found that you'd have to wonder at how much deadly warfare has been fought throughout Europe in the last 500 years.

Any doubts that we humans can be and are often violent killers would have to be dismissed by psychological experts. The evidence is everywhere.

- Here's a link to an archeologists historic viewpoint:
http://www.rubiconheritage.com/2011/12/16/biting-the-bullet-the-archaeology-of-musketballs/

To fossick in Londons River you must have a Port Of London Authority PERMIT:

Thames foreshore access including metal detecting, searching and digging.

Anyone wishing to search the tidal Thames foreshore in any way for any reason must hold a current foreshore permit from the Port of London Authority.

Searching includes all such activities including searching; metal detecting; digging, or ‘scraping’

Type of Permits

The PLA issues two types of foreshore permits.

• Standard - allows digging to a depth of 7.5 cm (for all new applicants)
• Mudlark - allows digging to a depth of 1.2m

The Mudlark permit is only issued to members of the Thames Mudlark Society. To apply for membership  you must meet certain criteria, held a Standard Permit for two years  and have a record of reporting finds to the Museum of London.

(WARNING: Water may be wet.)

Marty K.