Jame Stuart Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 Dear Fossil Forum Members, My friend recently found this bone-looking piece on the beach near the St Marys formation at Calvert Cliffs. We have heard that many of the bones washing up are fragments of whale or dolphin bones. Since this piece is so big, we are thinking its some sort of whale bone. Could anyone please help verify this? Sorry there are no proper forms of measurement, for reference the piece is roughy 4.5in (11.5cm) wide and 6.5in (17cm) long. Here are some photos: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jame Stuart Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jame Stuart Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 Statistically speaking, whale would be a good guess. Bone fragment is all that can be said with any certainty though I think. There are other large animal bones, some terrestrial, that end up in those sediments. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jame Stuart Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 15 hours ago, Rockwood said: Statistically speaking, whale would be a good guess. Bone fragment is all that can be said with any certainty though I think. There are other large animal bones, some terrestrial, that end up in those sediments. Thank you for the response! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jame Stuart Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 15 hours ago, Rockwood said: Statistically speaking, whale would be a good guess. Bone fragment is all that can be said with any certainty though I think. There are other large animal bones, some terrestrial, that end up in those sediments. Do you think that this is very likely a fossil, and not just some old bone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 57 minutes ago, Jame Stuart said: Do you think that this is very likely a fossil, and not just some old bone? Until now I hadn't even considered that it might not be a fossil. Tap it lightly with a spoon. I expect the sound will be much the same as a piece of table china might make. Modern bone would sound duller, and more like wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jame Stuart Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 4 hours ago, Rockwood said: Until now I hadn't even considered that it might not be a fossil. Tap it lightly with a spoon. I expect the sound will be much the same as a piece of table china might make. Modern bone would sound duller, and more like wood. Ok, thank you! It makes a clinking sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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