JulianP Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 (edited) Hey there, This is my first post so please excuse any newbie blunders. I found this bone or other long thing lying on the beach at Tankerton, Kent, UK part of the London Clay formation this week, 14th July 2020. The London Clay formation is said to be early/lower eocene. To me, a layman to palaeontology and Osteology, it seems like a leg bone, perhaps tibia because of it triangular shape at one end?!?! I was told by a young gentleman on the beach that Mammouth have been found there as well in the past. That is about as far as my knowledge goes. I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks Edited July 17, 2020 by JulianP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 I'm definitely not a bone expert, but just looking at the size I'm pretty certain that even a juvenile mammoth would have leg bones much larger and more robust than that. It's probably something much more intriguing than mammoth. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhiggi Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 Pleistocene bison tibia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 or a plow horse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 11 hours ago, Rockwood said: or a plow horse. How long does fossilisation take as I think it could be older? I really am a novice do bow down to others expertise on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 11 hours ago, dhiggi said: Pleistocene bison tibia? I've looked these guys up and it said they were predominantly in North America. Does anyone know if this bison or similar was in Northern Europe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhiggi Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 As far as I know Wisent, as well as mammoth, woolly rhino, elk etc were all found in the area. The size and shape of yours made me think bison, but I believe the elk were quite a size too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 12 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said: I'm definitely not a bone expert, but just looking at the size I'm pretty certain that even a juvenile mammoth would have leg bones much larger and more robust than that. It's probably something much more intriguing than mammoth. Actually I have just read there was a pygmy mammoth, mammuthus exilis, that lived in the Channel island only a few hundred miles away from where I found this bone. It's like finding a needle in a haystack which is across time and endlessly big. Interesting and intriguing all the same. Thanks everyone for your comments so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 15 minutes ago, dhiggi said: As far as I know Wisent, as well as mammoth, woolly rhino, elk etc were all found in the area. The size and shape of yours made me think bison, but I believe the elk were quite a size too Cool ok, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordTrilobite Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 It does indeed look like the limb bone of some type of decent sized mammal. But yeah, too slender to be something like mammoth or rhino. Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 1 hour ago, JulianP said: How long does fossilisation take as I think it could be older? I really am a novice do bow down to others expertise on this. It could well be older. If it was found on a beach the age becomes less certain than if it were found in situ where the age of the deposits are known though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 19 minutes ago, Rockwood said: It could well be older. If it was found on a beach the age becomes less certain than if it were found in situ where the age of the deposits are known though. The London clay that makes up Tankerton beach is said to be early Eocene epoch. Sharks teeth and i believe belemnites are found on this beach too. This echinoid?! was found by my wife on the same beach. I agree finding it loose on the beach does make the bone less certain of date. Having barnacles on it too i would imagine means it's been sat in the water for a little while at least aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhiggi Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 1 hour ago, JulianP said: Actually I have just read there was a pygmy mammoth, mammuthus exilis, that lived in the Channel island only a few hundred miles away from where I found this bone I think you may be getting our Channel Islands mixed up with the ones off California 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianP Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 13 minutes ago, dhiggi said: I think you may be getting our Channel Islands mixed up with the ones off California Yes you are absolutely correct I was. Thanks for the correction there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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