Garry Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Hi, I hope everyone is well. I was out walking at a location close to Darwen in the UK, north of England on a moor. Happened to come across a small stream the banks very eroded and collapsing so decided to walk the stream and check rocks for fossils and other artifacts and came across a large heavy oval shaped rock under the bank which had collapsed hidden from view I had to reach in and under to get it. It stuck out like a sore thumb from all other rocks, is unusually very heavy for size of the rock. Strange colours and has a gloss effect to it and one side is smoother than the other that may have been exposed to droplets from under the bank side. It wasn't in the stream. Does anybody know what it is? Object is about 6.5 inches long. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemipristis Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Now that's interesting! I can see why you picked it up. I would have as well. It doesn't appear to be a fossil of any sorts. The highly polished nature is likely due to stream tumbling but... there is something that makes me wonder if it is a prehistoric lithic tool of some sorts (hammer, pestle, etc). I can't put my finger on it...call it a gut feeling I'd keep it 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' George Santayana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 Yes exactly it stuck out from everything else along the stream and isn't like anything I've come across before stone wise. Interesting what you say there is evidence of early human activity across this area, 5 miles west approx. there is a bronze age burial mound. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noon_Hill_(North_West_England) Walking along the stream, there was evidence other people had done similar, dog walkers etc. Except I spent some time searching the stream banks etc. So obviously been missed by others as it was underneath a partial bank collapse. It's quite a remote area also. A very strange rock indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 (edited) Does it react to acid (vinegar or muriatic / hydrochloric acid)? 3 hours ago, Garry said: unusually very heavy for size of the rock You may try to compare directly with a similar sized "normal" rock. If it is really, really heavy*, it could be baryte. Or less likely celestite. *Edit: Dolomite or magnesite are also somewhat heavier than "normal" rocks. A quick acid test would be negative, but these minerals will dissolve in hot muriatic acid, especially when powdered. Franz Bernhard Edited April 23, 2022 by FranzBernhard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Chert perhaps? I think there's a lot of glacial till in the area. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
val horn Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 it is very pretty, My fall back position is take it to a local museum, in this case an archeology department to evaluate it as an human artifact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted April 24, 2022 Author Share Posted April 24, 2022 Thank you for the comments so far, it is quite a lot heavier than a rock of the same size. It didn't react to vinegar either when I put it on with a pipette at two locations on the rock and left it. I can't find any other images online of the same type of rock, when searching chert, celestite, dolomite, magnesite, and baryte. I will keep looking though to see if I can find a similar rock example online. I will email Manchester history museum the closest museum to me, they have a large section on rocks, fossils and crystals etc. Can anyone recommend an expert to contact also, via email? I am going to head back to the remote stream location on the moor also next week to have another look, see what else I can find and will photograph the location which I didn't do last time. I did also find further down the stream quarter of a mile away evidence of human activity, some broken black glazed clay pot vessel pieces but I suspect this isn't that old perhaps a few hundred years it was just lying there requiring no removing of rocks/debris in the stream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertramp Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 just a guess... not sure what's the English for the Italian "breccia con struttura (incipiente) a coccarda"; maybe "cockade breccia"? (at an early stage). ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted April 25, 2022 Author Share Posted April 25, 2022 I don't think it's a breccia con struttura, I don't know of this kind of rock being found around these parts but I will look into this also. Could it be coprolite? Attached examples from Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted April 25, 2022 Author Share Posted April 25, 2022 Hi, I found this under a collapsed stream bank; already exposed underneath the edge of the collapse hidden from the eye though. Very smooth, and very heavy compared to a rock of similar size. The edge that is the smoothest was exposed to droplets from the underside of the stream bank, slightly rougher side facing down. Could it be a coprolite weathered by water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 Tumbled breccia, I think. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted April 25, 2022 Share Posted April 25, 2022 @Garry It is best for conversational continuity and to limit duplication in response that all inquiries about the same object remain in one topic. I have merged your latest question about this piece. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now