Would like ID on possible petrified bark/wood

[Breesha03]

Hello all!  I found this in a creek in Stark County, Illinois over the summer.  I’ve been hunting fossils all my life and I’ve never seen anything like this.  At first I thought it was a piece of pottery, but it’s more wood-like.  Kinda.  I mean, I’m stumped.  Any thoughts would be appreciated! (Roku remote for scale…ha)

[Rockwood]

Looks like ironstone to me.

[Breesha03]

Thanks, Rockwood!  There is definitely a lot of it in that creek; I just didn’t really suspect it because it looks so incredibly different than any other ironstone I’ve seen.

[Rockwood]

20 minutes ago, Breesha03 said:

Thanks, Rockwood!  There is definitely a lot of it in that creek; I just didn’t really suspect it because it looks so incredibly different than any other ironstone I’ve seen.

Try looking into the search term bog iron. That might help explain this.

[Harry Pristis]

Hmmm.  The object does resemble wood in a macro sense, but I don't detect any wood grain.  The surface seems to be covered with a thin crust.  See if that crust will come off mechanically (wire brush) or with a soak in white vinegar.  These Florida specimens show the wood grain I'm talking about:

 

 

 

[Breesha03]

Hi, Harry!  I indeed cleaned the item after I brought it home; it’s as good as it’s going to get.  It really has no debris of any sort on it.  

[Harry Pristis]

Where the black surface is abraded, the material is tan.  I was hoping you could remove some of the black surface coating to expose grain (if any).  If it were my specimen, I would air abrade the piece; but, I don't expect you to have a micro-blaster.  The vinegar might work to oxidize the coating if it is iron-based goethite.

[Breesha03]

Ah yes, I see what you’re getting at.  I did use vinegar to initially clean it; nothing came off.  Though, if the stone is scratched, that’s where the orange shows through, which does lend to the ironstone theory.