Possible Egg.?.

[Fossil - 76]

Hello All,

I am an amatuer Fossil Hound. A friend turned me on to this exciting and sometimes very rewarding activity. Living in N.E. Michigan along Lake Huron with a constantly changing rocky shoreline, there is always the prospect of something new tumbling ashore to find. Last week I decided to shift my searching from away from the waterline, where all rocks are dry, to searching for specimens in the water. After a few yards I came across this curious piece. It was found as is. I didn't even get the satisfaction of cracking it open. The resemblance to an egg is quite striking. Basically the top half is exposed with a small portion evident on the bottom of the stone. This shoreline was created by glacier activity and aside from the normal churning of the rocks by wave activity each winter the shoreline is essentially replaced by ice build up. The ever changing ice line is subjected to forces from incoming waves that pulls rocks from the bottom, often 6' - 8' deep average, sometimes deeper, sometimes shallower, that are tossed up and onto the top of the ice which eventually make their way to the shoreline and often many yards up the ridge that makes up the shoreline. The surrounding area is full several varieties of early coral animals. A Lime Stone bed is typical of the area.

I prefer soft boiled. What about you?

I am looking forward to read what others thoughts are about this piece.

[Fossildude19]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

Well, there are two possibilities that I can think of, neither of which, unfortunately, are egg.

I see no eggshell structure in your piece (great photos, btw) - but I do see what appear to me to be concentric rings.

This indicates fairly strongly to me, that you have either a concretion , or an internal mold of a brachiopod.

My vote is for concretion.

I don't think the area around N.E. Michigan would allow for the age of sediments that might contain a fossilized egg.

Sorry, but I think Ma nature has pulled a fast one on you here.

Neat rock, anyway. I'd have picked it up and brought it home.

Regards,

[Auspex]

The last photo ("side-view") seems to show horizontal banding, which would suggest that it is a water-shaped sedimentary clast.

[Taogan]

The last picture gives it away as a sedimentary structure not an egg. It happens sometimes, and they are usually more egg shaped than real fossil eggs.

[Tennessees Pride]

4th vote for not egg=because of the striations present in pic #3. Welcome to the Forum from Tennessee sir.

[Fossil - 76]

Thanks all for your reponses - Fossildude19, Auspex, Taogan, Tennessees Pride

Besides bursting my bubble of thought that I'd found the most important missing link geological fossil ever, (joking aside), I sincerely appreciate the addition of knowledge you've all provided me. From reading about Concretions and Brachiopods I'm leaning towards a Concretion, yet the concentric bands can't rule out a Brachiopod. Onward with zeroing in on matching physical characteristics with formations that fit this piece.

Question; Would it make any sense to carefully break it free from the rest of the stone? Personally aesthetically I should leave it well enough alone. It really looks great as is. I feel breaking it free, aside from potential damage, it would essentially erase the formation aspect to it.

Agree / Disagree?

[Fossil - 76]

4th vote for not egg=because of the striations present in pic #3. Welcome to the Forum from Tennessee sir.

Thanks Tennessees Pride for the kind Welcome. :^)

[Auspex]

I think it's a fun piece just the way it is

[jpc]

If you take it out of the matrix, it will be just another round rock, and i imagine you guys have tons of those on the shores of the great lakes. My vote i it looks a lot cooler this way. Oh, and yeah, I agree with the others. No heuvos aqui, senor.