ZenMachine Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Hi there I am a 35 year old man from County Antrim in N. Ireland. A while back, while walking along the shore I found a piece of flint that I thought looked "worked". I found this really fascinating and have been bitten by "the bug". I always keep an eye out when I am out with my Son, for possible worked stone or fossils. I came across a flint rock that has a faint outline that looks almost insect like to me?I hope someone might be good enough to have a look for me? Any feedback or advice appreciated!Regards, Jonathan Front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Flint forms nodules which can replace or enclose fossils. This does look like a fossil but not an insect. It might be a partial ammonite but there is not much to go on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 This is a typical example of "banded flint". 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 I agree with Kosmoceras. Banded Flint. Regards, 2 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Thanks all. Oh well. I have read online that a place called Currans point on the Larne coast is a good spot, so will have a look there. I am the eternal optimist. Below for interests sake are some of the flint pieces I thought could conceivably have been "worked". Beautiful and fun to collect regardless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Keep looking. There are ammonites and other goodies to be found there on the Larne coast but note that some of the coast is a protected area. I don't think what you have is banded flint, the 'bands' appear to be oriented perpendicular to original layering although that is admittedly difficult to tell from the image. Either way keep looking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Thanks. Great forum. Glad I found. It's mostly Drains bay I stick to. Public beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Did you know that an ichtyosaur (marine dolphin-like reptile) has been found near Larne? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 I did not. Very cool tho. Cheers. Any tips on where/how to look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-fossils Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 2 hours ago, ZenMachine said: I did not. Very cool tho. Cheers. Any tips on where/how to look? If you want to look for fossils, i found some locations you might like! In Northern Ireland I found those two: Whitepark bay: http://english.fossiel.net/sites/fossil_site.php?plaats=74 Larne: http://english.fossiel.net/sites/fossil_site.php?plaats=74 Then in Ireland (but near the border) I found those two: Malahide: http://english.fossiel.net/sites/fossil_site.php?plaats=97 Bundoran: http://english.fossiel.net/sites/fossil_site.php?plaats=93 Have fun fossil-hunting! And keep us updated if you find anything! Best regards, Max 1 Max Derème "I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day." - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier Instagram: @world_of_fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 The ichtyosaur bones are on display in the ulster museum Belfast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Brilliant. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 On 08/01/2017 at 8:44 AM, westcoast said: I don't think what you have is banded flint, the 'bands' appear to be oriented perpendicular to original layering although that is admittedly difficult to tell from the image. Flint doesn't really display layers as you describe. So far I see no reason not to call this banded flint. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Dampening the flint with some water will probably show additional characteristics of the rock. 1 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I do not see this as a banded chert. the rough object in the middle does not continue all the way across the surface and shows no color differences. The lines are to uniform in caricature for a banded chert. I think it is the impression of a shell, but do not see it as an identifiable fossil. Could be a clam, brachiopod, ammonite, snail, coral, trilobite or other. The other pieces do not look worked to Me, but maybe spall chips from making tools. Tony 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Thanks for all the replies. I have wet the flint as advised JohnJ and tried to take close ups of the pattern under a bright light. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Can You post pictures of the sides and back? I can see more pattern in it with the new pictures. Definitely looks like something is there. Tony 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 5 minutes ago, ynot said: Can You post pictures of the sides and back? I can see more pattern in it with the new pictures. Definitely looks like something is there. Tony Will post some more of from all angles: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 That is fine. I just wanted to see if the marks were visible on the back. It is definitely not a banded chert. Wait for the others to give thier opinions though, there maybe some other ideas as to what it is. Tony 2 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Last one in better light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Still looks like typical banded flint. Similar in formation to this one, for example, identified on the UK Natural History Museum ID forum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/thread/4474?decorator=print&displayFullThread=true 4 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 12 minutes ago, TqB said: Still looks like typical banded flint. Similar in formation to this one, for example, identified on the UK Natural History Museum ID forum. I can see that as being what this rock is. Never seen a chert like that before! Tony 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Based on the damp flint photos, I agree with the others that it appears to be an inclusion of banded flint. As you can see from the other blotches and spots, flint can have a variety of inclusions...sometimes they are fossils; sometimes they are strange geologic shapes. 4 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenMachine Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Interesting regardless. Cheers all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 The only appropriate thing that crossed my mind was a partial crinoid column with a cirrus (an articulated appendage projecting from an ossicle that forms part of the column). The variable space (in some of the portions) between of the supposed columnals, also the irregular outer/lateral line, lead me to think about a geological wonder of a flint nodule. Interesting is, that in both cases presented, the internal 'core' has a 3D preservation bias. Also, I agree with JohnJ, that flint can have a variety of inclusions, not in all cases a fossil; but I can't rule out the possibility of my initial thought, considering these drawings (especially sample c): 2 " We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. " Thomas Mann My Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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