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Is this some sort of fossil?


Atlantic City

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Hello,

 

I wish I could tell you exactly where this piece came from but "east of the Mississippi, perhaps Massachusetts/upstate New York" is the best I can do. It's actually been worked by humans hands I believe, meaning it is an artifact of some kind... but what is it made of? I've never seen anything quite like it and I'm wondering ion its. a fossil of some kind.

 

It's about 1 in (2.5 centimeters) but it's clearly been broken so it was part of a larger object/spall. I'm sorry the picture of the bottom where the break is isn't that sharp. 

 

Thank you for taking a look and for any help/information you might provide! 

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I see no signs of this being worked but it does look fossil, not sure if those are trace fossils or something else,  I'm sure someone will give better ID.

  • Thank You 1
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Thank you, LH. Perhaps it wasn't worked.

 

The specimen actually comes from a collection of arrowheads (as well as a pendant, drills, and an unfinished banner stone amongst other things) that were collected between 1934 and 1944. The collectors, Mr. Carlton B. Hoyt and his wife Ruth, lived in eastern Massachusetts and most of the collection is from there, however they moved to Albany then Buffalo, NY later in life and that's why I listed those two places as the possible origin.

 

Of the 300+ artifacts in the Hoyt's collection this is the only piece that looks like this. I've been tying to match the lithic for a while with no luck. Thanks! 

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I was focused more on whether there are fossils in it or if it is a fossil. It looks like chert to me so the inclusions could be fossils, but it's hard to tell in these photos.

As to the association with artifacts it looks as if it would make a fine sewing thimble.

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After much research I believe I may have figured it out:  Giant Armadillo scute!

 

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Edited by Atlantic City
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Sorry. I don't have photos with me, but I've seen these close up in museums. The texture was quite different.

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Thank you Plax and Rockwood. Back to there drawing board I guess. But I'd rather not know what something is than believe it to be something it's not. 

 

In 35 years of arrowhead hunting (surface hunting only - walking beaches and farmed fields) I have never encountered a material like this. A HUGE part of identifying projectile point typology is knowing the materials you encounter. Thus having such a strange material but having zero idea what it is bugs me! But in a fun way. Thanks again and happy hunting. 

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You might could narrow down the material some with testing hardness, specific gravity, and break a little piece off to see how it fractures. 

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