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Help a newbie :) Middle Tennessee creekbed find - I don’t know if I’m posting this correctly
sarahbbgun posted a topic in Fossil ID
This link explains the geology of my area. https://www.mtsu.edu/glade-center/gladehistory.php I’m happy to have found this forum as I’m a newbie and would be so grateful for your help w/identification of these fossils I’m finding here in Middle Tennessee, USA. My friend has a creek in her front yard full of these Ordovician (??) sea creature fossils. This is my favorite so far but I’m not sure what it is. Someone in a FB group said it could be a cephalopod cross section? I’m seeing eyes and shrimp. There are even shades of violet on one spot IMG_0763.MOV
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Usually dig in rivers, so very newbie to this. First time to badlands. Watched a youtube and the paleontologist is squirting some kind of glue on a tooth before they try to remove it from the earth to prevent it from breaking. What is that glue? -
so just recently i was going on a trip to look for fossils, trilobites specifically. On the trip i was able to find plenty of goodies; brachiopods, bryozoa, etc… But i never found any trilobites—well, except a possible pygidium. I did my digging at Savanna, IL, which from what I could find was known for finding lots of trilobites; and complete ones at that. Was I doing something wrong on my trip? I guess what i’m asking is there some way to more easily find trilobite fossils? Like, is there a way to tell what areas are likely to have trilobite fossils or what rocks would have them? on a similar note i’ve seen plenty of instances of people splitting rocks and finding lots of fossils that way; but i found almost all of my fossils just sitting in the open; any time i tried splitting a rock it would just shatter into bits, not to mention i wouldn’t really find anything inside. Is there a way to tell which rocks might have a fossil of some sorts in it? Or a way to split a rock so that any fossil in it would be exposed. Or i guess the better question would be what kinds of rocks are even worth trying to split into, and does this change based on a given locality? any advice would really be appreciated!
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Hi all, first post and newbie collector so appologies if this is posted in the wrong place. On a Recent trip to Dorset these were found and I’d love some input on the best way to prepare these. One is large and I as tempting as it was to just have at it with the hammer and chisel, I suspect more interesting things may be lurking in there. The others are much smaller and may need something like an air scribe?? Recommendations on that line appreciated also. thank you in advance for any help/tips/recommendations.
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Crab Prep Questions: what to do with a multi-crab concretion??
Fossil Fen posted a topic in Fossil Preparation
Hello All, (WARNING: FIRST TIME CRAB PREP AHEAD) A friend of mine came across a small concretion (2.5") on a marketplace website and picked it up for me. It was already cracked open right across the equator, and exposed a small crab. (I'm assuming from Washington State but anyone that can weigh-in on the species is appreciated.) As per the pictures, the Crab itself has the body and the claw separated into different halves of the split. Reading up on the forum I decided to glue the concretion back together and air scribe my way back down to the Crab in the hopes of consolidating all the pieces into one specimen. After a few minutes of scribing I discovered a second Crab in the top section of the stone well above where the first one is located. Now I'm stumped and would like to ask the forum if they have any recommendations on how to proceed.
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How to exactly study fossils in your collection ?
Tyrannosaurus Rex posted a topic in General Fossil Discussion
Hello everybody, I have question that I always wanted to ask,but it was so dumb that I always avoided asking it. However,curiosity was stronger and I finally decided to go for it and ask it. OK,I would like to know how can someone who collects fossils learn more about fossils he got and find out more about that particular specimen? Is there any sort of ''study'' that can be done with some fossilized specimen like etc. seashell in matrix that would provide more information about that specimen as well as specie? I would like to know more about fossils I have,but to me it's just fossilized organism that I don't know much about except it's etc. seashell. I would really like to do some study on my fossils,but I don't know what kind of study is possible to do without any lab equipment? For example,I uploaded one seashell fossil I have in my collection. It's still in matrix and I know where it came from and approximately age,but nothing else.Not even specie since it's not some more ''famous'' animal that is well known and I can't find any guide for fossils that would tell me more about local species in my area (this fossil was found by my friend in creek few miles from my home). Do you have any advice for learning more about fossils I have,since I don't have list of species found in my area because they are considered of ''low importance'' and only place that I may get some list is University of Natural Science,but they are too busy and don't have policy to give that kind of info to individuals outside University. So,back to original question,is there any way to study fossil we have in our collections that would tell us more info about that particular organism? Again,I'm sorry for dumb question,but I'm big newbie and I don't even consider myself an amateur tho I know many things about paleontology that are above ''standard/basic'' knowledge,but as far as ID'ing and studying fossils themself,I don't have almost any knowledge. EDIT:I recently got compound microscope and I manage to use it on minerals and some fossils despite it's not stereo microscope that is made for studying 3-D things like fossils among others. Trick was using very bright light source close to specimen near the objective and it works very well actually. It's not same as stereo microscope,but it's nice experience to try. Would you recommend some studies on fossils that are possible with help of a microscope perhaps?
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Possible Dinosaur Fossils? Found At drumheller Alberta first fossil weighs .25 pounds
prehistoricpeasant posted a topic in Fossil ID
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Hey guys! I'm new to the forum and have something neat to share that came from Hockley Valley Ontario. I found a descent sized piece of what I believe is fossiliferous limestone. This was in a clearing on my property near Hockley Village! I had posted it on mindat.org which some kind people had directed me here to help further identify the fossils in it and maybe learn more about this specimen. We deduced that it was likely limestone but with some hard silica in it as it was able to mark glass. The rocks dimensions are 17 × 12.5 × 4.3cm and it weighs roughly a pound (I don't have a precise scale). That last picture shows translucency within some of the fossils when lit. Pretty incredible could there perhaps be mineralization happening here? I can disclose any specific fossils' dimensions if required but the largest is 3.5cm long and also my favorite on the piece. It is the one with a one inch nail in its picture. I'm looking forward to learning more about this beauty!
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Hi guys! So I'm planning to go back to one of the Calvert County beaches to try my luck again- I haven't had any success with finding teeth bigger than about a quarter inch and I'm hoping to find something a little bigger next time. My current technique is to dig up sand from the water and sift through it super carefully- should I switch it up and try something different to find big teeth? If so, does anyone have any recommendations for how to find them? And, final question, which beaches are good for finding larger specimens? I know Purse and Matoaka are good for quantity but I don't know which are best for finding big fossils. I'm still very new to tooth hunting so any help would be appreciated!
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Hey Folks, Going through some photos from earlier this month. I never kept this rock. But upon looking at this pic more and more...did I toss a megalodon tooth?! Or is this just some kind of cool looking rock? E&B - The forever newbies.
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Does anyone have a recommendation for published keys to help identify tree species from petrified wood? I'm finding a lot of it and would like to not pester everyone here constantly, but would also really like to know more about the ancient environments I'm exploring. Any tips much appreciated! Happy New Year everyone. TFF definitely a highlight!
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I found this on a beach in Massachusetts. I've attached images of several angles of a single specimen. Its dimensions are roughly a 6 cm cube. To be honest, I do not even know if it is a bone, but that is my best guess. Thank you for any help in identifying it. Adam
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Hi everyone. This is probably just a rock with some geologic stuff going on. But, I figured I would throw it up here on the board just in case it was something worth looking at. It looks like little triangular indentations. Thanks for looking. Rock is about 2 feet by 2 feet. Including a photo of whole rock in next comment (cant figure out how to fit it here)
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I've never found a fossil before, but always keep an eye out. My dog just dropped this on my foot and I was about to throw it for her before something caught my eye.. there's small crystal looking circles on one end. I've tried the burn test - no smell I've tried the lick test - a lil sticky Could this be a fossil or just a bone from my dog?
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Hi I took only my second trip out fossil hunting over the weekend and found what to me are some great finds. Any help with ID would be greatly appreciated, i believe the vertebrae to be a pretty good example of an ichthyosaur vertebrae but other than that i am pretty clueless. These were all found at Aust Cliffs near Bristol in the UK.
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Hi! I'm 16 and new to the forum. I live in Brooklyn and i'm interested in fossil hunting, the problem is that I don't know of any sites around me where I could find fossils and my parents don't have a car so I can't drive upstate or out of state to places that reportedly have plenty of fossils. Any help is appreciated!
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Every Saturday morning i'm in Big Brook but when i leave there are 6.5 long days before i get to go again. I find myself daydreaming about my next visit specifically or fossils in general. Of course i read The Fossil Forum repeatedly, visit the great Big Brook sites on line (and others), i look at my "collection" and perhaps reorganize, i plan where in Big Brook i will go on my next trip and maybe consult some maps, and of course think about what i will find next visit and whats on my bucket list. Doesn't matter if i'm at work or out on a run, my thoughts will sooner or later come back to "sharking" as my wife calls it. I do understand that in time this will fade - not my collecting of course but the daydreaming about it. I've had a number of hobbies/obsessions over the years (still running after 40 years, rotisserie baseball on hold per Covid after 35 years, still collecting Joseph Dixon Crucible Co artifacts after 7 years but did stop collecting rare books because it just got too expensive). With all these hobbies/obsessions i would daydream about them constantly at the beginning and then with time, even though i pursued the activity with the same intensity as before i just didn't think about it as much when i wasn't actually doing it. I guess i'm now daydreaming about daydreaming!!!
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I'm a newbie and found this in the floor of my goat barn. I was sweeping the dirt floor and saw an unusual shape so I dug it up. I am located in Catawissa, Missouri. It is about 3 inches long. Thanks for your help!
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Need some advice about where to buy fossil online ?
Guns posted a topic in General Fossil Discussion
Hi ! i am new member here and need some advice and help from you guys *sorry for any grammatical error . my English skill is bad . Here my fossil background : In my country dinosaur fossils are hard to obtain and dinosaur fossil that found in my country can not be collected or traded (nearest fossil formation just about 5 mile from my home, so sad) and fossil dealer in my country tend to sell their fossil in quite high price. (double or even triple the price which i can not afford) i usually bought fossil from online website from USA and sometime UK but never bought from online cz i am afraid of scammer ... so could you guy please recommend me some of fossil dealer / digger /preparator or may be someone that sell fossil in nice quality and authentic for a bargain price please? I am looking for mainly dinosaur fossil (esp :dinosaur vertebra and any part of bone or bargain jaw) thx for helping. -
Hi Everyone, I'm very new to fossil hunting and was considering going down to Cory's Lane in RI as it's only about 40 minutes from me. I scoped the place out on Google Maps and have some questions for anyone that's hunted there. Do you need a permit to fossil collect in RI? It looks like you can't collect in state parks, but I don't think this area is a state park. I'm actually not even sure if it's town property or private? Google wasn't much help and I'm not really sure which department it would fall under to go through state websites. Are people actually allowed to go along the water edge to collect, or is it all private property and we hope no one notices? It looks like there is a residential area and then a school further up the shore line. I don't want my first experience doing this (out of state, no less) to put me on the wrong end of the law. How's the parking situation there, the lot looks very small, like maybe 4 cars max. Are you allowed to park on the street if there's room? I didn't notice any signs when I street viewed the area. I was considering having a family member come with me and they drive an SUV compared to relatively small hatchback. Is anyone here a member of RIMH? Is the club active, is it worth joining if I can, I live in MA? Thanks for any info!
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Aloha! Planning a short trip to California before I move further away, I was always fascinated by fossils. Are there any dig sites in California that rent out tools? I would love to find a trilobite or ammonite! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!
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I am going to make the jump and get some prepping tools and looking for recommendations for quality air scribe or scribes from reading the posts believe 2 scribes are needed. My intended use will be to clean out the matrix left in the center whorl of ammonites I have found or future finds as well as bulk removal of matrix to tidy up around the edges to make presentable. I have the support equipment in my shop where I work on one of my other hobbies, building and maintenance of my airplanes. Have attached a couple of pictures of finds from previous trips to give an idea of what I will be working on and hope to get back in the mountains soon as the snow melts.
