Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Hello folks. I'm back after an extended break. I've found some really cool fossils on my land in southern Missouri, Texas county, USA. Just a few miles south of cabool. A seasonal stream flows through my land exposing some cool finds, not to mention- the heavy rains are washing the topsoil away. From the hundreds of artifacts I've collected, this spot must have been an indigenous settlement. My best guess is that this item was in the hands of those early Americans. I can see why, this is my 2nd most favorite of the collection. Please help me identify what this is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. FYI, I have overcast skies at the moment and very limited internet access. These pics are the best I can do. Mm measurements are roughly 66mm x 38mm x 25mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 I hate to say this, but I'm not seeing anything fossiliferous in this or anything which would indicate that this is an artifact. Looks like a waterworn rock to me. 4 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 In fetal position. Head at lower left facing facing downward eye is larger hole at lower left. Spine across top leading to the tail that wraps all the way to the nose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 I agree: not a fossil, but a weathered rock. No bone texture, no morphological symmetry. 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 The center upper left shows left shoulder and upper arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 I'm no pro by any sense of the word. Is it possible that it was preserved in embryo state. Mineralized before breakdown? I'm seeing a small unborn mammal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 There is a fancy term often used on the fossil forum referring to items that mimic something that they are not, such as seeing "the man in the moon" or images in the clouds or dinosaur eggs. Yes they have a resemblance but just aren't what they appear to be. Such is your rock, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 I respect the input. What about this creature laying atop this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 3 minutes ago, Missouri Ozark said: I respect the input. What about this creature laying atop this? Hi, there's no creature here, i would rather say it's a pareidolia 2 "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Pareidolia is the word that Minnbuckeye was looking for. I have to agree. While I can see what you are talking about, it isn't a fossilized creature/creatures of any sort. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 On 9/19/2014 at 2:26 PM, Pilobolus said: Post 'em if you got 'em... An armored jaw-less fish...obviously. You might want to have a look at this post. "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 14 hours ago, Missouri Ozark said: I respect the input. What about this creature laying atop this? That is not a creature. Just another rock. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 Please take a retake on the attached pics of the same item along with another at a later stage of development. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Ozark Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 am I losing my mind here? How about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 I'm sorry to say this as well, but I'm afraid that your imagination is running away with you. I think you should pay more attention to the judgement of our experienced participants here and maybe do some research yourself on the extremely rare cases where soft tissue parts are preserved in the fossil record to see what they really look like. One problem is however that when you google for instance "fossilized embryo", you come up with mostly either fakes or pareidolia. By the way, have you checked out what pareidolia means? I'm afraid that you may be under its influence. 2 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Sorry..it geologic. (A rock) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifbrindacier Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 On 1/12/2020 at 2:58 PM, Missouri Ozark said: am I losing my mind here? How about this? That's other than embryo, sorry. Your last photo shows shells in cup and a hole probably made by a lithophage organism. "On ne voit bien que par le coeur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) "We only well see with the heart, the essential is invisible for the eyes." In memory of Doren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 There is one very basic concept that makes the embryo hypothesis unworkable here. The segmentation that forms vertebra and ribs should be evident at this stage of development. I don't see them. To overcome the sheer odds against finding such a rock the fossil would need to show a more discernibly creature. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingSepron Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, KingSepron said: Pareidolia, that was the term I was looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenmaster6 Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 To help you digest this (I have seen A LOT of rocks like yours) There are 3 types of rocks. Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary. Sedimentary is the most common carrier of fossils, only in very rare times does metamorphic contain fossils (usually really hard shelled things) Igneous is a pretty much never unless lava made a cast of a tree limb or something and even then, you'd know. Your rock is not sedimentary. It is obviously some kind of chert (second) or metamorphized rock. Meaning you would not have a preserved fetus within it. A fetus would not be preserved within even sedimentary rocks like this. A fetus would likely be within a larger 2-D skeleton *because they don't pop out of the mom and roll away* and it would be a 2-D fossil of the bones from the fetus. Not the 3-D shape in a metamorphic rock. (even concretions with whole crabs within them usually don't portray the crabs details on the outside. Especially not the placenta or umbilical cord which are soft tissue and globally rare to see as even a color stain.) I thought it might help for you to know why this wasn't a fossil rather than tell you "I agree, pareidolia" I would go online and research the differences between the 3 rock types, then use Macrostrat.org to find sediment near you and start swinging away I wish you luck with all future fossiling endeavors. Its a great hobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now