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Attleboro, Ma Trip


MStone6781

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According to a website I came across online, Attleboro has a few sites that have fossils inside of a red slate/silt stone matrix. This area is also the home of one of the oldest fossil impressions of an insect. I decided to go to one of the locations, Hoppin Hill reservoir. Alas, not much was found here. Whether it has already been picked over, or I was just in the wrong area I'm not sure. I decided that while I was in the area, I might as well hit up some of the local stores in the area. As I was driving, I came across an area on the side of the road that was an exposed outcropping of said red slate/silt stone. The following are photos of some of my finds. Whether these are or are not fossils I'm not sure, but are still some interesting finds in my opinion.

1. This one almost looks like some form of reed or other plant like stem. The actual impression broke off from the main stone, and you can see the inverse of said impression.

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2. More interested in the impression rather than the discoloration which looks more like some form of crystalline formation.

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A few more interesting impressions.

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5. Now this one is rather odd looking. Not quite sure what to make of it, but kind of interesting looking.

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6. This one just struck me as very interesting. It almost looks like some type of slate geode! Lol

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At any rate, I definitely plan on going back to this site again as so far it has yielded my most intresting finds so far.... Now just to find some trilobites! Lol

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Nice rocks! #3 looks like you have at least 2 fern molds. #5 looks like a worm casing or worm mold.

I always find some interesting rocks. I find some with tiny quartz crystals embedded in them, they almost look like tiny diamonds. I always look for road cuts. Never know what you may find!

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These are absolutely fossils; the remains of a Carboniferous coal swamp. The first and (probably) second look like calamites stems (the modern analog is the horsetail rush). Look over all your samples carefully for reptile and amphibian tracks; oblique angle lighting will help, as the impressions (and their raised counterparts) can be faint.

Congratulations on your nice finds!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Thank you guys for the quick reply and information! Very excited knowing that I have found my first set of fossils! Needless to say, I will be going back to the same site as soon as I am able to. Auspex, unfortunately I'm not seeing any tracks in these specimens, but hopefully I will find some on my next trip. mzkleen, a site I went to in Rhode Island didn't turn up any fossils, but there were some very interesting veins of mica and quartz running through the shale.

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nice job......I am quite a attleborogh fossil hunter and find many there....

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You can see at my pics I have some insects and a beutiful set of amphibian but more toward the rhode island side..take a look

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Orangebuccaneer, awesome finds! Absolutely love the prints etc that you have found elsewhere! Love the trilobites out of Hayward Quarry! I was curious about that site, looked it up on google and google maps, and can't quite figure out where it is. Supposedly it's off of east Howard st. But on google maps all I'm seeing in that area is wharves and industrial buildings. I might have to make this my next trip just to see for myself.

I took another trip to the same spot in attelboro, and found a few more calamites, but due to the nature of the spot (very public) I can only go so far with how much of the hill side I tear down. Lol So now I have to figure out where next to check for a new site. Unfortunately I only know so much of the attelboro area, and have no idea where else to look... Wish me luck for finding a new site! Lol

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  • 4 months later...

VERY interesting finds! Looks like Calamites suckowii branches, and one of the ferns could be Alethopteris [serlii?]. I can't see the other fossils well enough to make an ID. Am very familiar with fossils, including footprints, in the N. Attleboro area, and would like to exchange info.

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