The worker, who was working along the roadway on Wednesday, April 25, near Winstead Road, came upon what he later learned was a cow's stomach with pennies on top and an Asian sword sleeve stuck in the ground by it, said Torrington Police Detective James Crean.
"At first, the worker thought the stomach was a fetus and called the police," Crean said.
When officers arrived on the scene they contacted the medical examiner's office to identify the "find," he added.
"We could pretty well determine that it wasn't a human body part and an autopsy by the medical examiner found that it was a cow's stomach," he said.
But what exactly does the find mean? There were no reports of any dead cows in the area and a body was not found.
Is it some type of sacrifice, the department is wondering.
"I have to say it's a very odd find and we would like to know just what it means," Crean said.
That's why he has searched the internet and other books and sources trying to track down a comparison without any luck, except that cooper, such as found in pennies, is said to help one move on to the next life.
"The sword sleeve really has us stumped, and why the pennies on the stomach?" he asked.
To help, Crean is asking anyone who might know of some similar ritual or practice to give him a call so he can put the case to bed.
"We don't want people worried, we just want to find out what it means, if anything," he added.
Anyone who may have information or know what the "find" might mean can reach Crean at 860-489-2061.
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