Strange object found at Charmouth Beach (Jurassic Coast Line)

[Bernadette]

Dear Fossil-Community!

 

Maybe you could help me identifying a strange object I've found at Charmouth Beach (Jurassic Coast, Dorset, United Kingdom) in December 2019. It is about 10cm long, covered in fool's gold and weights 172g. Its edges are quite straight, but on the narrow sides you can see foldings. I've attached some photos to this thread.

 

Do you have any idea what this object could be? I am very thankful for your help and any suggestions.

 

Kind regards

Bernadette

Edited February 18, 2020 by Bernadette
added three more photos

[Notidanodon]

pyritized wood ?

[Notidanodon]

you cant see many of the strucutures thanks to the heavy encrustation of pyrite (make sure to consolidate to prevent pyrite rot) but a few are visible and i know wood is found there so this would be my guess

[Pterygotus]

I think it’s a piece of iron pyrite. Not Wood I don’t think. 
 

 

 

Edit: I can now see bits of black so it could be fossil wood. I blame it on my bad eyesight .

Edited February 18, 2020 by Pterygotus

[Pterygotus]

The wood found at Charmouth and Lyme is often found in nodules and not pyrite but pieces in pyrite still turn up. Fossil wood in pyrite will be black with surrounding gold.

 

Welcome to the forum 

[Pterygotus]

However I do see some black bits on the end. Some more photos would help a lot .

[Tidgy's Dad]

Looks like calcite 'beef' with pyrite to me. 

[Bernadette]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, impressions, ideas! I've attached some more photos to get a clearer image of the surface, esp. the dark crack.

[fifbrindacier]

Hi, firstly i would have said it is a mineralized piece, but i'mnot so sure.

[grandpa]

Hello, Bernadette and a warm welcome to TFF from Austin, Tx.  I want to commend you on your excellent job of picture-taking.  You've shown us weight and length/width of your sample, pictures from various sides of the object in good lighting and in focus, and have told us the location of the find - excellent job.  As for the specimen, please place me in the pyrite encrusted petrified wood camp, based mainly on the views of the exposed black surfaces and comments from those who know the area such as "youth" @will stevenson who often shows us that he knows what he's talking about.

[Notidanodon]

19 minutes ago, grandpa said:

Hello, Bernadette and a warm welcome to TFF from Austin, Tx.  I want to commend you on your excellent job of picture-taking.  You've shown us weight and length/width of your sample, pictures from various sides of the object in good lighting and in focus, and have told us the location of the find - excellent job.  As for the specimen, please place me in the pyrite encrusted petrified wood camp, based mainly on the views of the exposed black surfaces and comments from those who know the area such as "youth" @will stevenson who often shows us that he knows what he's talking about.

thanks @grandpa, yes the views from the side certainly seem to me like wood, some similiar examples are found in the london clay, i will post some later @Bernadette

[Ptychodus04]

It is definitely hard to tell with all the pyrite and I'm certainly out of my scope with UK fossils but it feels kind of vertebrate to me. @will stevenson thoughts? The trough shape reminds me of some dentary/maxila morphologies I've seen at first glance.

[Notidanodon]

2 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

It is definitely hard to tell with all the pyrite and I'm certainly out of my scope with UK fossils but it feels kind of vertebrate to me. @will stevenson thoughts? The trough shape reminds me of some dentary/maxila morphologies I've seen at first glance.

hmmm its hard to tell without it in hand, from my limited experience bone is not often coated in pyrite to the degree this is, indicating wood, however i can see where you are coming from but due to the almost black, carbonised colour of exposed parts and prominent straight ridges i think ill stick with wood for now, though that is not definite

[Pterygotus]

43 minutes ago, will stevenson said:

hmmm its hard to tell without it in hand, from my limited experience bone is not often coated in pyrite to the degree this is, indicating wood, however i can see where you are coming from but due to the almost black, carbonised colour of exposed parts and prominent straight ridges i think ill stick with wood for now, though that is not definite

I’ve personally seen bone embedded in pyrite but I agree that it’s quite a rare occurrence . However is see no bone structure is I’m sticking with wood as well.  However is see what @Ptychodus04 means because I see resemblance to an ichthyosaur jaw which can be found in the Charmouth/Lyme area.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Pterygotus