What is this?

Got my bed box off and found this. What is it? it's located right below the rear bags and not connected to them at all.

How about a picture from farther back??

Looks like an antique friction shock to me.

I'm with Howard on the friction shock idea.

I agree; that's what it looks like.
But I don't think it is.
It's hard to see in the photo, but it doesn't appear to have sufficient 'upward' travel before it hits the head of the bolt just above it to the right.
So, while I don't think it's a shock absorber, I don't know what else it could be.
Confused?
Yeah...