Peculiar Slate
If we found a weird old broken slate with random writing etched on it, we’d naturally assume it was related to witchcraft or some cult and get rid of it. Not this OP though. Apparently, their parents came across it when they were doing some landscaping in the backyard in Southern Missouri.
It seemed to have the months spelled out and the year stated 1827 but that was all. According to an eagle-eyed commenter, this was a practice gravestone scrap. Someone who carved gravestones would use broken pieces of slate like this to get better at engraving lettering and drawings. Interesting stuff…