Fwd: What IS this?

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Historical Society
  This item was found about 20 yards from the rail road tracks at 
Shenandoah Caverns in Shenandoah County Virginia. The tracks have 
been there since about 1867. Do you know what this item is? It is 
about 12 inches long,3 inches around at the large end. Small end is 
about 1 inch around, may have had a wood handle at one time. The 
prongs on each end are about i inch long now. They are rusted off or 
broken now. at first I was thinking that it could be a civil war 
grenade, but that has since been ruled out.
Thank you off your help.
Marv Polk lll
<mailto:vpolk at shentel.net>vpolk at shentel.net
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