Jaw With Teeth

[garyc]

I have not seen anything like this before. The only thing I can think of that resembles it is a human jaw; but the teeth don't seem right.

Edited August 26, 2015 by garyc

[garyc]

One more with scale

[mrieder79]

That really looks like a human jaw. An interesting if somewhat creepy find. I'm getting goosebumps just looking at your picture. Not sure what the laws in tx are about what to do with human remains, but you probably should find out. Sometimes there are specific regulations.

Also, if the chairs in your kitchen start stacking themselves, stay the hell away from the television!

Edited August 26, 2015 by mrieder79

[dinodigger]

Uhhhhhh....

[jpevahouse]

From many years hunting Indian relics I got to know human bone pretty well and that's a human (probably male) mandible (jaw) from a person of advanced age. I'd say native American since the front teeth have excessive wear, a common characteristic of native peoples who chewed leather to soften it after tanning. I've seen that kind of wear many times on ancient human teeth.

Also reference the ongoing discussion on the board about finding human remains. It was noted that it is illegal in the US to privately own native American remains.

Edited August 26, 2015 by jpevahouse

[garyc]

But no molars or apparent sockets where molars would have been. Or is it worn past where the sockets were? Starting to get a little creeped out as well.

[ZiggieCie]

Looks like a human jaw to me also. An older person that lost the rear teeth a long time before they died, giving the bone time to heal.

I'm 63 and comparing the teeth to mine, those have seen an extreme amount of wear.

As JP said many people used to chew on leather to soften it. That does seam to fit here.

Edited August 26, 2015 by ZiggieCie

[ZiggieCie]

It doesn't look like any wear from being water worn. I'll bet you can find more bones in the area you found that.

I would SAY a jaw bone from some long gone, forgotten Cowboy, lost on the trail. wink, wink.

[jpevahouse]

But no molars or apparent sockets where molars would have been. Or is it worn past where the sockets were? Starting to get a little creeped out as well.

Very possible the molars were lost due to disease at a early age, maybe malnutrition, not rare in ancient times. If native American the age of the person could be between 50 and 60 years, a more or less average life span of the time

Edited August 26, 2015 by jpevahouse

[garyc]

Trying to find state specific laws for Texas. Not having much luck. I know if this was found on tribal land, I would definitely have to turn it over, and would want to. But I found it at the edge of the Brazos. Do I still need to take to sheriff's dept or straight to museum to be dated? If this was from an actual burial site, investigating the area won't help find more bones. The Brazos had some record flooding 2 months ago and has just now receded enough to look for anything. I looked around for sometime and found nothing else that would put this jaw in context. So, not sure if this is native american or old cowboy as Ziggie suggested.

Edited August 26, 2015 by garyc

[Ridgehiker]

But no molars or apparent sockets where molars would have been. Or is it worn past where the sockets were? Starting to get a little creeped out as well.

The sockets will grow over after time if the teeth are lost during life. Until the last few decades not many adults would have kept most of their molars past middle adult years.

No need to be creeped out by it. I sometimes remind myself that all my specimens were once living animals with a real existence. We are much the same. Real skeletal elements are examined by thousands of medical students, etc. every day.

[garyc]

The creeped out feeling is only because of that tiny part of my brain that asks, "what if this is only a few days old?"

[Runner64]

Maybe try reading the thread on finding human remains in the general fossil discussion section.

[garyc]

I had never seen that thread before

Maybe try reading the thread on finding human remains in the general fossil discussion section.

Very interesting, but not definitive. Seems like there are a lot of conflicting opinions. Uncle Siphuncle's situation seems a lot like mine.

[JohnJ]

It's a remarkable find, Gary. I'm sure you'll work out how best to handle it.

[Ash]

I'd personally be grossed out having it.. But at the same time wouldn't want to give it up because well.. May not be able to get another like that too readily.

Good luck!

Maybe the best port of call would be that Lone Ranger who fell and was lost to time

[RickNC]

If not illegal to have I would keep it.

[jcbshark]

Great find Gary but I'm with you on the creepy factor lol: )

Edited August 26, 2015 by jcbshark

[Mike Pocock]

Hi,

Working on the "Lost Cowboy" theory it may be a chance for a fascinating detective story, try and see if you can trace the remains, may be Billy the Kids brother Ha Ha .......... but you never know.

Any way nothing to be creped out about as my granny used to say "you have a lot more to worry about from the living than from the vast multitude of the dead"

Hopefully you can keep and admire your find.

Regards

Mike

[garyc]

I have reached out to both the Houston Museum of natural science and a professor at the University of Houston. I am waiting for more contact with them.

[Auspex]

Best to cross all the tees when dealing with human remains; it is a topic fraught with legal ramifications.

[Coco]

Hi,

I think it is an human jaw. It looks like mine I have spoken in the subject you spoke above. I will try to remember to do a pic tomorrow.

Coco

[Ramo]

If that looks like yours Coco, you should come over state-side and see one of our dentists!!

[Coco]

Coco

[Coco]

Hi,

Here is ... "mine" !

Not very young ! Not a lot of teeth, but a real human one.

We can see that toward the back of the jaw that the bone healed where teeth fell for a long time when this humain being lived. My dentist explained me that when we lose a tooth and that it isn't replaced, the bone closes and heals. It is this lack hole of tooth on each side that made me doubt that this mandible belonged to a humain being when I found it...

Coco