Found this tooth on my backyard in Massachusetts

[efpage11]

I found this tooth yesterday on my backyard while working on a project. It was under about 5 feet of rock. This house was built back in 1960s and to my best knowledge this side of the backyard wasn't excavated - there was a serious layer of rocks. To what animal does this tooth belong? I can't figure it out... 

Edited January 3, 2023 by efpage11
More photos

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum. 
We will need to see views of the chewing surface to be of any assistance in ID.

[efpage11]

4 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Welcome to the Forum. 
We will need to see views of the chewing surface to be of any assistance in ID.

Sorry, I was about to add more photos. 

[Fossildude19]

@Harry Pristis

[fossilus]

bovine upper premolar?

[efpage11]

34 minutes ago, fossilus said:

bovine upper premolar?

I don't think it looks like that... 

[fossilus]

I was thinking the one on the far right?

[efpage11]

1 minute ago, fossilus said:

I was thinking the one on the far right?

It might be it. I am wondering about its side view. 

[Harry Pristis]

It appears to me like a severely worn bovid tooth -- maybe a sheep P4.

[jpc]

I agree... premolar of a sheep or cow.  Looks like you found an old rusty penny as well.  

[efpage11]

Could it be an alpaca tooth?https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-021-03038-x

[Golfer]

In the first photos the 3 root structure is very similar to an upper molar of humans. The 2 forward roots are mesial and distal buccal and the back root is palatal. The biting surface is not typical of humans.  Definite wear patterns on the biting surface.  

[Rockwood]

The fact that it was under rocks could date it to a time before fields were being cleared of the obstructions. Otherwise the placement of a farm animals tooth would beg an explanation. No ?

[efpage11]

2 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

The fact that it was under rocks could date it to a time before fields were being cleared of the obstructions. Otherwise the placement of a farm animals tooth would beg an explanation. No ?

Before the 1960s this area was a farm. I don't know what kind. It makes sense that farm animals were present in this area. Some rocks could have been moved during the house construction. That could explain that it was found under a lot of rocks. 

[Randyw]

56 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

Otherwise the placement of a farm animals tooth would beg an explanation. No ?

Not really. I grew up on a farm that had been a working farm for over 100 years. (150+ now) There was a pile of rocks that we weren’t allowed to play around or dig under. It was an old lime pit. Evidently if they had animals die they threw them in the pit with some lime and a layer of dirt and repeat. When they stopped using the pit they covered it over with dirt then a pile of rock. Every so often we would still come across an odd tooth or bone fragment.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Randyw

[efpage11]

One more photo

[Randyw]

Rotated and cropped for comparison. It looks close to me…

[efpage11]

5 minutes ago, Randyw said:

Rotated and cropped for comparison. It looks close to me…

It does look close. So, is it a cow?

[Rockwood]

7 hours ago, Randyw said:

I grew up on a farm that had been a working farm for over 100 years. (150+ now) There was a pile of rocks that we weren’t allowed to play around or dig under. It was an old lime pit. Evidently if they had animals die they threw them in the pit with some lime and a layer of dirt and repeat. When they stopped using the pit they covered it over with dirt then a pile of rock. Every so often we would still come across an odd tooth or bone fragment.

Ya know. This "really" sounds like an explanation to me.

[efpage11]

Adding more photos.  

 

I've researched this area. While there was a farm nearby (about a mile away) there is no mention of cattle.  Besides, this area is on top of a rocky hill, not the best place for a pasture. I doubt they would be digging a hole and burying dead cattle on the top of a rocky hill. This area is very dry. I would assume that bones could be preserved under the rocks for a very long time. No other bones, though. 

 

 

 

 

[Troodon]

54 minutes ago, efpage11 said:

Adding more photos.  

 

I've researched this area. While there was a farm nearby (about a mile away) there is no mention of cattle.  Besides, this area is on top of a rocky hill, not the best place for a pasture. I doubt they would be digging a hole and burying dead cattle on the top of a rocky hill. This area is very dry. I would assume that bones could be preserved under the rocks for a very long time. No other bones, though.

 

The software does not support heic files - please post jpg ones

[Sagebrush Steve]

19 hours ago, jpc said:

I agree... premolar of a sheep or cow.  Looks like you found an old rusty penny as well.  

Can’t be that old of a penny since they only started putting the Lincoln memorial on the back in 1959….Well, maybe that is old now 

[Rockwood]

1 minute ago, Sagebrush Steve said:

1959….Well, maybe that is old now 

Agreed. Sometimes it does feel it. 

[JohnJ]

16 hours ago, efpage11 said:

It does look close. So, is it a cow?

 

19 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

It appears to me like a severely worn bovid tooth -- maybe a sheep P4.

 

1 hour ago, efpage11 said:

I've researched this area. While there was a farm nearby (about a mile away) there is no mention of cattle.  Besides, this area is on top of a rocky hill, not the best place for a pasture.

 

Sheep or goats would be at home grazing a rocky hill.

[Rockwood]

It may be that the hill looked more like a rock pile at the time. Making it easier for a loose tooth to find its way relatively deep. Soil migrates more than one might expect.