Maybe osteoderm fossil?

[jt.2162]

I didnt find this, but inherited it from my dad who passed away last year. He got it from his friend,( 1990s i think) who passed away shortly thereafter. In 2011, it was put on display at the local museum as an 'indian relic'. It was also sent to 2 colleges for analysis. I was told that it was determined not to be man made which dismissed the artifact idea. This is what i can tell u from what little i know ofit.... it was found in Macon county, NC, USA. It was stored at WCU until I asked the museum to return the item last year. I think its an osteoderm fossil? Thanx for any info.

 

Weight 50.2 pounds

Dimensions 12" long x 9" wide x 6" deep approx.

 

 

[Meganeura]

Strange - it was determined to be not man-made? I can't speak for possible animals, but there's no bone texture you'd expect from the side of any osteoderms like you'd find for armadillos or turtles. Seems like it's been carved/painted on/weathered, or is possibly a trace fossil of some kind? I'm no expert though. @GPayton any thoughts since you know turtle?

[Brandy Cole]

Tortoise shell osteoderms, at least the hesperotestudo examples I've found, are tremendously vascular.  There's a lot of big spongy porosity I'd expect to see in the cross sections and don't see here.

 

I would've guessed man-made.  It reminds me of septarion nodules, but the lines seem too uniform for that. Interesting!

[JohnJ]

@jt.2162

You've told us what the colleges said it wasn't; did they say what they thought it was?

 

You can be assured, it most definitely is not an osteoderm.  This is geologic in origin.  Do some research on "liesegang rings", boxwork, and counter septarians.  Then, take deep dive into THIS TOPIC.

[Fossildude19]

I think these are liesegang rings.

 

 

More images:  LINK