This Artifact is a Horseshoe.
Horseshoes are used to protect a horse’s hooves. On rough ground like rocks or a road, a horse’s hooves could get worn down, potentially hurting the horse. To protect the horses’ hooves, people invented horseshoes to offer a barrier between ground and hoof. See those holes? They’re for nailing in the horseshoe to the hoof.
This particular horseshoe dates back to the 1820’s. Back then, solid iron horseshoes were the norm, which is why the Horseshoe is so rusted. Coincidentally, modern-day horseshoes are very similar, although made of different materials.
The existence of a horseshoe somewhere signifies transportation and exploration, as people used both horses and donkeys for exactly those purposes.
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