Egyptian camel dung … or?

[jpc]

I am visiting my wife’s brother and he found these in the desert in egypt many years ago.  He was told they are fossilized camel dung.  Anyone out there know what they are for reals?  They are very dense.  I hope the pix are ok.  This is my first ever post from my phone.  Adult human hand for scale.

[Harry Pristis]

Interesting.  My guess is iron pyrite, similar to "boji balls" or "shaman stones" or "Moqui marbles."

[Lone Hunter]

Following Harry's lead I think they are prophecy stones.

Edited August 15, 2022 by Lone Hunter

[jpc]

Pyrite sounds good but where is the golden color?
 

prophesy stones… to be googled 

Edited August 15, 2022 by jpc

[Gareth_]

I'm here just for the title of this thread 
I have no clue what they are but they're definitely interesting! 

[daves64]

Could be goethite or hematite pseudomorph's after pyrite.

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by daves64

[Harry Pristis]

Pyrite usually forms cuboid crystals, sometimes forming in close association to form raspberry-shaped masses called framboids.  There are a number of forms more complex than F₂S_{2 . . .}  I just don't know what produces the black cortex.  Maybe it's hematite which also produces framboids -- it certainly take a high polish.

[Lone Hunter]

If this helps,  Prophecy Stones are a Limonite & Hematite pseudomorph after Marcasite.

[jpc]

40 minutes ago, daves64 said:

Could be goethite or hematite pseudomorph's after pyrite.

 

Now, this i like.  Answers the color, crystal shapes and density.

Edited August 15, 2022 by jpc

[westcoast]

Whatever they are, they could be coated in rock varnish which can be black.

[Lone Hunter]

Egypt is well know for prophecy stones which are only found in one desert in Egypt and old folklore is where the dung thing came from. Kinda made sense thats what these are. 

[hemipristis]

3 hours ago, Lone Hunter said:

If this helps,  Prophecy Stones are a Limonite & Hematite pseudomorph after Marcasite.

crystal form suggests the original material was marcasite

[digit]

6 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

Pyrite usually forms cuboid crystals, sometimes forming in close association to form raspberry-shaped masses called framboids. 

What an interesting thread (not only for the subject title).

 

I think some indie rock band has missed the opportunity to name themselves The Framboids. It's my vocabulary word of the day.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[jpc]

Thanks everyone,  my brother in law will be sad to not have found camel poop, but wiser.

[digit]

Most days I try my hardest to avoid camel poop and I seem to be succeeding remarkably well.

 

Nice to have a diverse membership who can readily recognize these geologic oddities.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken