By Tim Binnall
A pair of Wisconsin divers recently discovered a puzzling mystery object that may be an ancient artifact. According to a local media report, Ed Bieber and his partner, Christie Barlament, have developed an online following by showcasing unusual items they pluck from various rivers and lakes throughout the Badger State. Late last month, the duo returned to the surface of the Menominee River with a weird item that Bieber marveled "may be one of our best finds." The object in question (seen below) appears to be a rather ornate clay pendant sporting strange carvings and measuring approximately six inches long.
"It was just lying on top of the sand by the rocks, and I’ve never seen it before,” Bieber recalled, "I didn’t know what it was, but I thought it just looked neat." Suspecting that the piece could be Native American, the pair connected with a representative from the nearby Menominee Nation, who echoed their hypothesis and graciously accepted their donation of the odd object. "While many people asked why we didn't just sell it," Barlament explained, "we chose to do the right thing and ensure it returned to its rightful home for everyone to enjoy." The piece, currently being held by the Menominee Cultural Museum, has understandably sparked considerable speculation online with an array of suggestions being offered about what the recovered object might be.
While many have echoed the theory that the piece is Native American, with some positing that it could be an ancient wind chime, more skeptical individuals point to the object's lack of weathering as a sign that it is probably more modern. Falling into the former camp is museum curator Jean Cox, who mused that "you can feel the energy in it. It's quite the piece," but also stressed that "we need clarification" concerning its origins. With that in mind, the facility intends to have an archaeologist examine the peculiar object in the hopes of solving the mystery and determining if the item has historical significance or is merely a contemporary creation that somehow wound up in the river. Think you can identify the piece? Share your best guess with us at the C2C Facebook page.