300-year-old shackles may hold ghoulish tale

(Reuters) - An iron ball and chain found on the banks of London's River Thames is causing a stir among archaeologists who say the 300-year-old artifact used to restrain convicts on ships may have a gruesome story to tell.
The leg irons, believed to date from the 17th or 18th century, were pulled from the mud with the lock fastened, suggesting a convict could have drowned while trying to escape.
The prospect conjures up a tantalizing tale reminiscent of the work of 19th-century Victorian author Charles Dickens, said Museum of London archaeologist Kate Sumnall, who examined the find. Continued

Photo: Magwitch and Pip, from the 1946 production of "Great Expectations." (Highly recommended!)