Tooth? What is this?

[jnicholes]

Hi everyone,

 

I have not been on for a while, how is everyone? I have a very interesting find I want to show and hopefully figure out what it is.

 

I was digging in my yard replacing a broken sprinkler. While I was digging, I found this. I’m attaching pictures.

 

You see that black thing on the top? It almost looks like a tooth. It’s smooth, and it looks like it’s encased in some kind of stone.

 

I confirmed it is not metal, as it is not magnetic.

 

Do you think this is a tooth? If it is, it’s the first fossil I found in months. Location is Dietrich, Idaho.

 

What do you guys think? If you need more photos, I will get them.

 

Jared

[Tidgy's Dad]

I'm fine, thank you for asking, Jared. 

Lovely to see you back. 

Sadly, I can't tell from the pictures what the object is or is not.

Lots of metals are not magnetic; all but iron, cobalt and nickel, though some of the time the forms these take are non-metallic or weakly so. 

[jnicholes]

Thanks for getting back. Glad to hear from you again.

 

Let me see if I can post some better pictures. I’m really curious now.

[HuckMucus]

Looks like tooth to me.

 

[jnicholes]

[Top Trilo]

I'm thinking its not a tooth.

I also looked at geologic maps of the area and it was mostly basalt, which doesn't contain fossils.

[Rockwood]

I was thinking it looks like some of the things I see included in rhyolite. That would be similar to what might be expected.

[jnicholes]

Just now, Top Trilo said:

I'm thinking its not a tooth.

I also looked at geologic maps of the area and it was mostly basalt, which doesn't contain fossils.

Thanks for letting me know. I was actually wondering why I wasn’t finding many things since I moved here last June.

 

Still, the shape, and the stone it’s in looks really interesting. If it’s not a tooth, it’s okay.

 

At least I noticed it.

[Top Trilo]

2 minutes ago, jnicholes said:

Thanks for letting me know. I was actually wondering why I wasn’t finding many things since I moved here last June.

Idaho has some very interesting geology and paleontology. I know there are some Paleozoic rocks in southeastern Idaho where Helicoprion and trilobite fossils have been found, would love to search there someday.

[HuckMucus]

7 minutes ago, jnicholes said:

Thanks for letting me know. I was actually wondering why I wasn’t finding many things since I moved here last June.

 

Still, the shape, and the stone it’s in looks really interesting. If it’s not a tooth, it’s okay.

 

At least I noticed it.

It's not all that far down to the Owyhee country.  There are lots of fossils there.  Drum fish and whatnot down in the Snake River Plain.  I found a site they put on the paleo maps at ID State U.  It had camel and cat bones I found on Blue Table Mesa, further south.  American Falls Res. has pleistocene maga fauna.  This was all back in the day. Laws probably changed.

 

P.S.  You aren't that far from the University.  Bring what you have to them and ask.  I think you have something.

Edited May 24, 2022 by HuckMucus

[jnicholes]

1 minute ago, HuckMucus said:

It's not all that far down to the Owyhee country.  There are lots of fossils there.  Drum fish and whatnot down in the Snake River Plain.  I found a site they put on the paleo maps at ID State U.  It had camel and cat bones I found on Blue Table Mesa, further south.  American Falls Res. has pleistocene maga fauna.  This was all back in the day. Laws probably changed.

that actually explains why I found a couple of gastropods and petrified wood pieces when I lived in Nampa, but now I’m not finding anything here.

[HuckMucus]

9 minutes ago, jnicholes said:

that actually explains why I found a couple of gastropods and petrified wood pieces when I lived in Nampa, but now I’m not finding anything here.

One other thing about that country, it had many different volcanic events separated by times of flora and fauna.  You can see it in most canyon walls: Black, dirt, black, dirt, black, dirt and on and on.  So just because the surface is a recent flow doesn't mean you can't find something sandwiched between.  The site I found, referenced above, was just such a site.