Possible fossilized bone?

[ossomania]

The owner of this item picked it up in the vicinity of Austin, Texas because he thought it was a "cool rock." It is about 5 inches long and reasonably heavy. Too heavy to be a bone from something recent; it's definitely mineralized. But the shape, the visible cellular-like structures, and the rounded bit that looks like a socket for a joint seem to point in the direction of fossilized bone rather than "bone-shaped rock formation." 

 

We have not licked it (!), as it's been floating around a public school classroom as a pet rock, so I can't attest to whether it sticks or not, or if there is any identifiable mineral content. As you can tell, it's had a lot of love from pencils and pointy objects.

 

Any ideas on what kind of creature it might have come from? Approximate age? I'm no geologist, but my limited research seems to suggest late Cretaceous.

Thanks in advance!

 

update to add: sorry I don't have the item with me; I will try to use an international scale when I'm back to take more photographs.

update 2: silly newbie didn't look at the file extension and wondered why the pictures weren't loading. #facepalm. fixed. 

 

IMG_1558.jpg IMG_1557.jpg IMG_1559.jpg IMG_1561.jpg

Edited February 18, 2022 by ossomania
update on scale; reload photos

[JohnJ]

Welcome to the Forum.  Our software doesn't support "heic" images.  Converting them to jpeg files and uploading them would be appreciated.  

[ossomania]

Thanks, JohnJ! I didn't even know a heic was an image file; my experience with the iphone is limited.

That said, I don't see my pictures actually showing up IN the post, so I may still be doing something wrong. Apologies if so!

[abyssunder]

Here they are:

[val horn]

the last photo does look bone like to me.  beyond that I have no clue as I do not recognize the shape at all.

[jpc]

I will make a a random guess... mammoth pisiform.  

 

 

[facehugger]

I am on the fence as to whether this is fossilized bone or a suggestively shaped rock. The last photo does somewhat look like fossilized bone. Somewhat. 

[Shellseeker]

Possibly a 10 inch long bone , twisted between the 2 ends,  maybe something like a humerus, tibia, femur.... Ground sloth would have bones of this length...

[JohnJ]

This looks more like karstic limestone to me.  Better focused images (possibly dampened to enhance texture) would help.

[Brandy Cole]

I think a closer view, especially from the viewpoint in your last picture, would be helpful.

[ossomania]

When I am back in the classroom next week I will try to take some better photos. And dampen the surface too as someone suggested.

 

 

 

[ossomania]

These are dampened. Still can’t find a ruler, so a sheet of 8 1/2” paper will have to do! 

The pitting (which looks like mineralized marrow to me) is evident at both ends, as well as areas where the stone has been chipped.

Since I washed it…I also licked it, and there is a slight “grab” at those spots.

[ossomania]

These still aren’t the clearest photos. Sorry! If there’s one I should retake, I will do so…as soon as I dig up a ruler to give clear size measurement!

[JohnJ]

Try taking the photos outdoors, too.  

[Coco]

17 hours ago, ossomania said:

so a sheet of 8 1/2” paper will have to do!

If we saw the whole thing, maybe...

In my signature there is a sheet to print if you don’t have a ruler. It can even be plasticized to be carried away on hunts.

 

Coco

Edited February 23, 2022 by Coco

[abyssunder]

One would say the specimen is a bioeroded limestone with Entobia.

[ossomania]

A ruler was finally excavated from under some books…

[westcoast]

A few drops of vinegar on a clean surface will fizz if it is limestone...

[diginupbones]

It looks like a  calcaneus bone with most of the ends either worn away or broken off. Possibly bison. Size is about right.