brianna95 Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) Hi, I'm new to this site, and I would like to say hello to everyone, and start off by showing a tooth found in Northern Arkansas near a cave! We have no idea what animal this could be from, or if it is even a fossil. We thought it was. Edited August 29, 2012 by brianna95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Empty Pockets Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Are you sure it is prehistoric and fossilized? It appears to have chew marks on it from rodents or squirrels to me but I don't really know anything at all about teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 That's a big ol' molar! The view we need most is a bright, sharp view of the chewing surface; the one you posted is too fuzzy to ID it past "large mammal". "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrehistoricFlorida Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Looks like a lower horse molar. www.PrehistoricFlorida.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianna95 Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 That's a big ol' molar! The view we need most is a bright, sharp view of the chewing surface; the one you posted is too fuzzy to ID it past "large mammal". I will post more pictures please wait one moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianna95 Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Are you sure it is prehistoric and fossilized? It appears to have chew marks on it from rodents or squirrels to me but I don't really know anything at all about teeth. A man who works at the cave said by the looks of it, that it appeared to be several thousand years old. It was mostly burried if that helps. So no, I don't know for SURE if it is prehistoric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianna95 Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 That's a big ol' molar! The view we need most is a bright, sharp view of the chewing surface; the one you posted is too fuzzy to ID it past "large mammal". Ok I have them up , I hope it is clear enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Nate (PrehistoricFlorida) can ID teeth in the dark; I will defer to his expertise "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianna95 Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Nate (PrehistoricFlorida) can ID teeth in the dark; I will defer to his expertise Okay, well thank you! So, based on some of the comments , is it not even a fossil? ): I'm afraid that the guy from the cave tour had no idea what he was talking about! But he did say it was a fossil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Technically, a "fossil" is the remains or evidence of life, and is at least 10,000 years old. Horses went extinct on this continent at the end of the Ice Age, and were not reintroduced until European settlement. Your tooth could be pre-settlement, but it doesn't really look it. Nonetheless, a 300 year old horse tooth is pretty cool in its own right "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianna95 Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Technically, a "fossil" is the remains or evidence of life, and is at least 10,000 years old. Horses went extinct on this continent at the end of the Ice Age, and were not reintroduced until European settlement. Your tooth could be pre-settlement, but it doesn't really look it. Nonetheless, a 300 year old horse tooth is pretty cool in its own right Well thanks for your help! They have found spanish artifacts that are hundreds of years old near the area recently, so maybe this tooth is from that era. I thought to myself, "How could this be 10,000 years old? It isn't even as hard as a rock." The guy at the cave tour, whom was supposed to know what he was talking about, didn't. He said it was from a sloth! lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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