What Do We Have Here?

[saint francis]

Hi there, nice to meet you.

I live on the Isle of Wight on the South coast of the UK. I found this on the beach today and wondered what it might be. It is 2 inches long and has the feel and texture of a pebble, like it's made of stone. It seems like there are a few little holes which run through its length. I know very little about fossils I'm afraid, but thought it may be of interest. To the untrained eye, it looks like it might be part of a tooth, tusk or bone? Or maybe nothing at all.

Thanks for looking....

[saint francis]

[RichW9090]

It is an upper molar of a horse.

[Harry Pristis]

Compare with these:

[saint francis]

Wow, that was quick, many thanks.

Do you think it is likely to be fossilized rather than the actual tooth? It feels like it's made of stone, if that's any help.

[RichW9090]

If you can provide a straight-on end view, I might be able to id it more closely.

[evannorton]

yep...definitely horse.

[Adie_uk]

hello fellow islander...nice find, that's a big tooth I have a couple in a post a few down from yours. if you picked it up on the north side of the iow its about 30 million years old....(Yarmouth...bouldnor?)

Edited May 13, 2013 by Adie_uk

[saint francis]

Hi there. Ha ha, the last thing I was expecting was to find a fellow Islander on here! It was found in St Helens, so yes, certainly the North. 30 million years old?? I'm staggered.

Rich W9090, here's a close up of the end for you. Many thanks.

[araucaria1959]

I don't think it's from the oligocene. Hypsodont horses (i.e. horses with long teeth for grazing) originated in the lower miocene of North America (about 18 - 17 million years ago). In Europe, hypsodont horses appeared several million years later. I think the tooth is not older than upper miocene.

araucaria1959

[Adie_uk]

us islanders get everwhere lol!

wow st Helens!!!!! grew up there but never found any fossils that makes it even better in my book very rare from this location. the only place I could see anything like that coming out maybe around the corner from st Helens church towards priory bay? there is a layer or formation I think called the seagrove bay formation but I think this is under the bembridge limestone and between 33 to 35 myo. but that would be too old. its taken some nice colour so looks like it has some decent age to it. but it must be younger maybe the layers below priory woods??? im stumped very interesting

are you a collector? if not are you now going to be?

http://www.hamstead.ukfossils.co.uk/Hamstead-Fossils-Geology/geology-guide.htm mentions the seagrove formation

been trying to dig deeper but not much info on the geology in this area. the rocks on the beach at st Helens Im sure must be the bembridge limestone. on top of that the bembridge marls and on top of that the Hamsted formation the youngest layers listed on top are the Oligocene approx. 23 million yrs old.... I know some places have the younger quaternary gravel ontop like here at bouldnor I I know they have been found there I I quess it must have come from that?.

http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/bouldnor_fossils.htm if you go down they have drawn the layers over a photo

some I found around Yarmouth

Edited May 14, 2013 by Adie_uk

[saint francis]

That is exactly where I found it. From the Church turn left and walk Northerly towards Priory bay, perhaps 80 metres. I stumbled across it by chance whilst looking for sea glass pieces as my daughter has started a small collection. I also keep an eye open for pottery shards, or anything interesting really, to pass the time if I'm down there with the dog. I will certainly be keeping a more open mind to what may be on the sand from now on.

[RichW9090]

There are also good Pleistocene deposits on the Isle of Wight.

It is Equus, which is really only a Pliocene and Pleistocene genus (and modern, of course!), so at the very most it could be a few millions of years old.

Edited May 15, 2013 by RichW9090

[Adie_uk]

cool thought had to be around there, will also keep an eye out in future funny you say about "sea glass" on out last family fossil trip my wife started picking up any old bits of interesting pottery and glass have a little bag now and have even found myself picking bits up lol. found a whole 1920's/30's beer bottle in pristine condition complete with wooden stopper on the beach couple of weeks ago. like you say keep an eye out for anything interesting.