Lou, They are likely cast parts made of pot metal like babbitt or white metal in some combination like tin and copper or tin and antimony. But zinc, lead and copper were also used in combinations as they were inexpensive, easy to cast and dress up to look good but don't hold up very well over time to acidic conditions. I have seen handle brackets made this way on remnants of old coffins that have been accidentally dug up with backhoes. Most coffins were made of wood prior to the mass production of metal coffins in the 1940s. In furniture advertisements I have seen wooden coffins with metal handles from the Civil War period. The coffins would have been purchased from the local furniture store. I have found some relatives that were cabinet makers but later went into selling furniture and funeral directing out of the same storefront. It was a known trend after the industrial revolution too hold. It was quite common in advertising both furniture and undertaking to be handled out of one store. Aluminum was very expensive and not used in pot metal at the time of the Civil War. It was a very rare metal at that time. And ferrous metals required too much heat to be easily melted for cheap parts. And it was more difficult to cast. In the parts that I examined even the handle grips were made of inferior metal wrapped around a wooden core the latter having provided the strength. Even better metals would not hold up well before the time of vaults. But it sounds like you found a piece or pieces made of pot metal. Robert In a message dated 3/17/2009 3:12:52 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, pagreene-request@rootsweb.com writes: Dear lists, Does anyone out there know about casket construction in the Civil War era. I was cleaning up our family cemetery and raked up, at the bottom of a ground hog mound, several pieces of something man-made that I can only think was part of a casket or caskets. They are heavier than rock but apparently non-ferrous as they aren?t attracted to a magnet. Thanks, Lou Lou Emeterio lemeterio@aol.com **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219850974x1201371016/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID %3D62%26bcd%3DMarchfooterNO62)