Pearl Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Hey guys! Hope everyone is doing well. I found this in a creekbed in west Alabama where I hunt for fossils from the Cretaceous period. I have found some Paleo-Indian artifacts in this area as well. Wondering if anyone knows what this object is. The raised "string-like" areas follow a pattern as if it has been wound around the rock. The bottom sides are somewhat smooth as well as two of the longer sides-opposite each other. Is it an artifact? Or some sort of fossil? Or none of the above. Thanks for you help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 My guess is Repichnia. Repichnia: These are crawling or walking traces; this group includes any trace that was made during locomotion. Included in this category are examples of amphibian, reptilian and mammalian footprints. Cruziana is an example of a crawling trace made by a trilobite; note the scratch marks made by the trilobite appendages. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 This doesn't happen often. Sorry Harry. I think it's a rock. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Certainly it's a rock, a rock with marks upon it. The question is: What made the marks? http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 I don't think these are ichnofossils. They look like some geologic formation - similar to boxwork. Some sort of banding. 2 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...
Harry Pristis Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Well, Repichnia is a guess . . . Here's as close as a quick search takes me: http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Harvey Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 10 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said: Well, Repichnia is a guess . . . Here's as close as a quick search takes me: I don't think these are tracks since they circumnavigate the rock. Tracks would be made on a soft flat surface and therefore uniplaner. Other than that, I am familiar with cretaceous rocks from Alabama, but this has me stumped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 7 minutes ago, M Harvey said: I don't think these are tracks since they circumnavigate the rock. Tracks would be made on a soft flat surface and therefore uniplaner. Other than that, I am familiar with cretaceous rocks from Alabama, but this has me stumped. The SAME tracks don't circumnavigate the rock. There are SIMILAR tracks on both sides. In the case of repichnia, this phenomenon might be explained by similar animals tracking over successive layers of mud (such as from an annual flood). Speculation can be fun! http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 I also think this is geologic in origin. 14 hours ago, Pearl said: Hey guys! Hope everyone is doing well. I found this in a creekbed in west Alabama where I hunt for fossils from the Cretaceous period. I have found some Paleo-Indian artifacts in this area as well. Wondering if anyone knows what this object is. The raised "string-like" areas follow a pattern as if it has been wound around the rock. The bottom sides are somewhat smooth as well as two of the longer sides-opposite each other. Is it an artifact? Or some sort of fossil? Or none of the above. Thanks for you help! This photo shows the mineral veins rounding a squared corner on two different planes. It looks more like differential weathering of softer rock and harder "boxwork" like minerals. 1 1 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 45 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said: Speculation can be fun! Well Yay ! A frivolous side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearl Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 Looks very similar to photos of box working. You can pretty much follow each vein all the way around the rock. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearl Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 Oh, and Harry! I didn't get the trace fossil link-I got the Demi-john page! Beautiful!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plax Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Weathered gneiss? We often see it in shades of gray but rock is of tan and brownish hues when weathered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 7 minutes ago, Pearl said: Oh, and Harry! I didn't get the trace fossil link-I got the Demi-john page! Beautiful!! I didn't post a trace fossil link, Pearl; but, I'm glad you like the demijohns. That "happy flea-marketer" bottle is one I got at Sadie's, south of Dothan. I didn't spend enough time in So. Alabama -- never got to dive the Conecuh River. Good hunting to you! http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenmaster6 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 3 hours ago, Harry Pristis said: Certainly it's a rock, a rock with marks upon it. The question is: What made the marks? the fact that the bands continue around the worn pebble disprove that it is a trace fossil. If it was a trace fossil, the trail would not continue. I see a rock with bands that are wearing away slower due to mineral composition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 37 minutes ago, Zenmaster6 said: the fact that the bands continue around the worn pebble disprove that it is a trace fossil. If it was a trace fossil, the trail would not continue. I see a rock with bands that are wearing away slower due to mineral composition. It's all a matter of perception, sometimes seeing what you want to see. I don't see the marks continuing around the rock, but I accept Pearls assertion that they do. She's got the rock in hand. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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