What is this

[Paleontology12345]

20 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

 

@Paleontology12345 

How brittle is the piece?  Some parts look like they are barely attached.  Has it broken up any since you found it?  Did it look noticeably different from the clays in the area?

The clay in the area is a grey colour....which is more similar to the interior colour of this when I chipped a piece off...

[JohnJ]

Then, @Rockwood may ultimately be correct, and my experience with a variety of Texas clays will fall short.

 

If this is clay, I would expect it to be very brittle.  The amount of shrinkage cracks and 'plastic' deformation seems to defy falling apart.

 

@Paleontology12345 might consider putting a flame to the broken piece and seeing if it can be easily ground to a powder.

[Bran]

41 minutes ago, Paleontology12345 said:

It is all attached...see grey area where   I pried a piece with a knife off....the flaky area, I could break off with my fingernail..

Try burning that piece you broke off....

[Rockwood]

Concretion in the Presumpscott (Maine) clays are quite stony.

[ClearLake]

Have you tried a wet toothbrush to some part of it to see what easily washes off. Someone mentioned carbonate earlier, which perhaps seems unlikely given the general geology of the area, but put some vinegar on an area or chip to see if you get any fizzing to help rule that out. The grooved area just looks like it could be cleaned up some to help in a determination. 

[Plax]

Saprolite curled up like an ice cream scoop and hardened? This would require human excavation at or near the site.

[Paleontology12345]

34 minutes ago, ClearLake said:

Have you tried a wet toothbrush to some part of it to see what easily washes off. Someone mentioned carbonate earlier, which perhaps seems unlikely given the general geology of the area, but put some vinegar on an area or chip to see if you get any fizzing to help rule that out. The grooved area just looks like it could be cleaned up some to help in a determination. 

 

[Paleontology12345]

Broke a chunkn off, No fizzing with vinegar ....also tried to scrape the black off that one side and after it was soaking in vinegar, it could be removed ..( crumbled off) with my fingernail....also, as seen on the small chunk the goldish brown colour , similar to saptolite that the one fellow suggested might be an option....but the interior seems more grey colour..

1 hour ago, Bran said:

Try burning that piece you broke off....

What do I watch for when I burn a chunk of it?

[Bran]

26 minutes ago, Paleontology12345 said:

What do I watch for when I burn a chunk of it?

If it doesn’t burn at all it must be mineral and therefore possibly clay. If it does burn then probably manmade. The burning smell will give you a clue: plastic, hair or wood. Try sticking the piece on the end of a needle or stick and holding it over a lighter 

[JohnJ]

Forget the needle and use a lighter.