Help with ID of possible bone fragment

[PapaGoose08]

Hello all - this is my first post here. I am posting a possible bone fragment my son and I found while beach combing here in Texas. It is from McFadden Beach near Galveston on the Texas coast after a recent storm. It is about 5 cm in length, 2 cm in with and ranges from 2mm to 5mm in thickness. It feels more like stone than bone - but I am not an expert in this field. 

[Rockwood]

Tap it lightly with the nickel you may be able to distinguish a higher pitched sound than modern bone makes.

I'm guessing you will by the way.

[RuMert]

It's 100% bone, but too fragmented and water-worn to distinguish anything. If you find more complete ones and get acquainted with the geologic setting of the area, it could at least be assigned to a geologic period

[PapaGoose08]

Thanks for taking a look and for the insights. It does have a high pitch when tapped so the bone assessment seems accurate. 

[Mahnmut]

Hi PapaGoose

I think there could be several different kinds of sound. If it is really high like you would expect from ceramics, it may well be fossil. Relatively fresh bone sound more like hard plastic (dice for example) while old weathered bone can sound dull like wood.

Getting a species identified from such a small piece is nearly impossible as far as I know. looks like part of a leg bone though (probably).

Have fun beachcombing!

J

 

[fossilus]

McFadden beach is known for late Pleistocene fossils and early native American artifacts.

I agree that this piece is too small to I D, but I know people have found bison and Clovis on the beach.

[Rockwood]

2 hours ago, Mahnmut said:

I think there could be several different kinds of sound.

Comparing with as close to the same size and shape of known substances may help. Stone is a fair stand in if no fossils are available to represent fully mineralized fossil. Pork or beef bones would give you the other end of the spectrum.

Just one note: This test is not for bone but more for hardness.