A mysterious treasure, any help with an ID?

[Dustinh]

Diving off Beach 8th Street in Far Rockaway NY, sometimes you find these little bowls. We refer to them as "voodoo" pots, but I'm not sure what they really are, and I've love to find out. Some are green, and apparently those are to represent prayers for fertility. It seems like whatever was in the bowls (incense, etc) was burned, and the bowls were thrown into the water. They may very well in fact be voodoo related, it has been Claimed that Queens, NY is the most ethnically diverse county in the US.

I've attached a few pics. One of them is the bowl upside-down, with a quarter on it for scale.

Any ideas?

 

[mcampo84]

Can you attach a picture of the bowl next to a dollar bill or something for scale?

 

[TheScubaBOB]

Would a dollar bill work better than the quarter that is resting on the bowl in one of the pics?

 

[Walter]

Looks like a mortar to me.

 

[drdiver1952]

they look like porcelain dishes we use in the laboratory for evaporation or high temperature experiments. The pouring spout is very distinctive. I would guess science project or illegal drug operation gone awry.

Pics here

http://www.coleparmer.com/Catalog/product_index.asp?cls=14697

or

Coors Ceramic Company Shallow-Form Evaporating Dishes, Porcelain Search Results Coors Ceramic Company Shallow-Form Evaporating Dishes, Porcelain - Cole-Parmer Catalog

 

[Dustinh]

Is this better?

A friend mentioned that maybe it's not Voodoo, but Hindu in origin. Any thoughts?

 

[CaptEsteban]

I cannot identify it, but it looks to be stoneware. I would contact your state's archaeological dept., usually within a State Univ.

 

[Dustinh]

Drdiver,

I thought the same thing! But a few of the divers I dive with have actually seen people put incense and prayers in them, set them on fire, and then cast them into the water. I've personally seen people make offerings of all kinds of fruit, flowers and other things at this beach.

An interesting mystery.

 

[Drewpy]

Any chicken blood on em...?

Well if other divers have seen them cast them in the water..Id say you have your answer?
Maybe search the web for hindu offerings..?Buddist maybe..?

 

[drdiver1952]

Drdiver,

I thought the same thing! But a few of the divers I dive with have actually seen people put incense and prayers in them, set them on fire, and then cast them into the water. I've personally seen people make offerings of all kinds of fruit, flowers and other things at this beach.

An interesting mystery.

That is interesting. It sounds more like a Hindu or Buddhist or perhaps Animist rite than Voodoo, but you never know. Looking forward to hearing more!