Salt Mine Tunnels

We had to fill the carts with at least 6 pounds of salt for Saline Springs, so I was pulling extra hours after the sun had gone down. I went through the motions with a blank mind when my pickaxe suddenly struck something solid. As I pulled to loosen my tool, a large stone chunk was brought forth into the lantern's dim glow. The relief looked different from the shimmering salt surrounding it, but I could barely make it out in the low light. Squinting, I tried to focus on the shape. Nestled inside a lap of rubble sat a near-spherical object. I commanded my tired eyes to follow the swirling lines that drew toward its center, but became ever more drowsy. When I reached out to trace it, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. How long had I been digging? I decided to rest. It took some time to heal up. In my absence, they've opened a new mineshaft and boarded up the old one. Maybe it's for the better. We can't be distracted when there's a quota to meet.