Found what looks like a fossilized egg to this novice

[Axeman]

Hello and thanks in advance for any help. I am new to the site. I live in the NE corner of Texas in north Franklin county. As far as rocks go, in this area there are only two shows in town. Native American artifacts and petrified wood. I was taking a friend of mine to show her where and how to look to find petrified wood and had stumbled by accident walking to a new  fishing spot a couple of days before on a small area that had little or no previous rockhounds picking over the land and there was large and small pieces laying on top of the ground pretty much all over the place. There was a very shallow runoff ravine down the bank from the pond at the low spot of the land and it was dry and looked like a stream of rocks on top of rocks. I was moving leaves from on top of some so my friend could see all the great pieces of petrified wood and under a leaf but on top of the stream of rocks....lay something that looked so out of place in its almost perfect shape and colors. It looks to my untrained eye, just like an egg and though i looked there was nothing that looked even remotely similar to this one. I will gladly take some sharper focus pics if needed or provide closeups of specific areas on request.....  

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

Unfortunately, I don't see an egg there.

Looks like a very water worn cobble to me. 

Possibly chert ? Or limestone.?

Not seeing any eggshell texture.

Regards, 

[Fruitbat]

It is a great 'pseudo'-egg, but I'm afraid that I have to agree with Fossildude19.  It lacks the diagnostic texture of eggs.

 

-Joe

[BobWill]

Welcome to the forum from Cooke County. I agree with the others but just for curiosity why don't you try breaking or cutting it open to see what if anything is inside. Let us know.

[bone2stone]

 

First things first, Welcome to the world wide place to show the world "Your fossil stuff"

 

Just another possibility.

If there is Pet Wood in the area there is a remote possibility of gastroliths scattered about.

I have found them while collecting Pet wood on several occasions here in N.Texas.

Difficult to distinguish gastrolith from plain cobble without some study on the subject.

Clearer and close up/in photo may be useful as well. Use lighting to reflect any surface imperfections/polishing effects.

 

Most people see a "rock" when I show them a gastrolith.

Yes, it is a rock with a peculiar almost "pecked" surface that had been polished.

Not truly "pecked" but pressures within Dino gizzard caused pressure cracks from

stone to stone contact and constant motion caused the polishing effect.

 

Google up some info and compare with your specimen.

Lots of literature and photos on the subject.

 

Finally no it's not an egg.

 

Jess B.

 

Quote

I was a "Rock" on the ground.

When picked up and taken home...

That act made it a "Specimen"

Jess B.

 

 

 

 

 

[Axeman]

thanks to all who have weighed in on this....even though this is a rookie situation.....I have hunted arrowheads etc and petrified wood for years and i had the same feeling that it was likely a natural formed imposter...that is ok because who knows what else lay waiting to be found in that unexplored area..i still think it looks really cool and i am considering cutting it....i really appreciate you guys for taking the time to help me out...hopefully i will have some more items to show soon...

[bone2stone]

14 hours ago, Axeman said:

thanks to all who have weighed in on this....even though this is a rookie situation.....I have hunted arrowheads etc and petrified wood for years and i had the same feeling that it was likely a natural formed imposter...that is ok because who knows what else lay waiting to be found in that unexplored area..i still think it looks really cool and i am considering cutting it....i really appreciate you guys for taking the time to help me out...hopefully i will have some more items to show soon...

Axeman,

Cutting this specimen will do no good.

It will have nothing inside but more of what you see on the outside.

I too am an artifact collector, in fact, I am a  Mentor on an arrowhead web site.

But I also am a fossil finder as well. Been at it all my life. (60+ years)

The stones that Indigenous peoples used as hammer stones are commonly found as gizzard stones as well. (Same stoney material)

 

The gastrolith (dinosaur gizzard stone) you found is a good one (color/size) and cutting it although will not destroy it but will not help either.

From what I can see of the pics you posted and the proximity to the fossil wood you mentioned, it would be most wise

to have some knowledgeable person to handle and diagnose your specimen.

To handle it with knowledge that a dinosaur once picked it up and swallowed it is amazing enough.

To own one and to know what it represents is amazing all in itself.

Send me a PM maybe we could correspond and next time you are down Dallas way get together.

Get out and pick some points or go fossilizing. I am getting out this Sunday to find a Trilobite or two.

Hope to hear from you before you cut or smash your specimen.

 

Jess B.

 

[BobWill]

I never thought of gastrolith. I suggested cutting it open in case it was a bezoar but first I should have asked if it seemed lighter in weight than a solid rock of that size. If not than Jess is right about leaving it intact.

[tmaier]

Sometimes rocks get up caught in fast water and end up swirling in holes in the bedrock, going round and round and they become round or egg shapped. Look around that area and you might find evidence of pockmarks in the bedrocks. These becomes rock tumblers.

You can also get rounding of rocks from just tumbling along, but these whirlpools really make a lot of "eggs".

When curious things are found, it's a good idea to look around and analyze the area, because often the clues of what it is are at the site.

http://www.google.com/search?q=bedrock+holes+whirlpool+potholes&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1&tbm=isch