Teeth of unknown origin

[Kayanddogs]

Hi guys

recently i boughthis necklace of teeth fossil.  Have no idea what it is.  Anyone can enlighten me?  They are about 2 inches long.

             Kay

 

        

 

 

[ynot]

Welcome to TFF!

They look like elk incisors.

Tony

[Kayanddogs]

Elks. Aren't they vegetarians.  I would expect they would have flat teeth..  so you don't think they are very old.   They feels totally mineralized.

[Fossildude19]

I agree with Tony.

They do look like Elk incisors.

The  pointy parts of the teeth that are attached to the thong are actually the roots.

The dangling parts of the are the chewing surfaces.

Regards,

[History Hunter02]

3 hours ago, Kayanddog said:

Elks. Aren't they vegetarians.  I would expect they would have flat teeth..  so you don't think they are very old.   They feels totally mineralized.

If they are fully mineralized, then it is over 10,000 years old.  Species of elk have been around since the early Pleistocene era.  http://www.crystalinks.com/fossilelks.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk

[Carl]

1 hour ago, History Hunter02 said:

If they are fully mineralized, then it is over 10,000 years old.  Species of elk have been around since the early Pleistocene era.  http://www.crystalinks.com/fossilelks.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk

Actually, age and mineralization are independent of each other. Some things can mineralize in a year and there are examples of 80-million-year-old wood that will still burn, i.e., it is not mineralized at all.

[Carl]

3 hours ago, Carl said:

Actually, age and mineralization are independent of each other. Some things can mineralize in a year and there are examples of 80-million-year-old wood that will still burn, i.e., it is not mineralized at all.

Also, teeth are technically mineralized tissues so it is tricky to refer to fossil teeth as "mineralized."

[Kayanddogs]

When i said they are mineralized, i meant that not only the enamel of the teeth but also the bones that the tooth is enbedded.  Infavt that the bones were polished to be shiny and hard as the enamel.

[ynot]

7 hours ago, Kayanddog said:

When i said they are mineralized, i meant that not only the enamel of the teeth but also the bones that the tooth is enbedded.  Infavt that the bones were polished to be shiny and hard as the enamel.

Your pieces are all tooth, no bone. the round pointed part is the root and the "shovel" shaped part is the crown.

I do not see any evidence of polishing, just some natural wear.

They do have a black color that could be from mineralization or from mineral staining. My guess is for staining as teeth usually take a long time (millions of years) to be replaced with minerals.

[Harry Pristis]

Elk incisors are popular souvenirs.  These teeth are drilled and polished (and probably stained for highlights).  There is no reason -- despite what Kayanddog may have been told -- to believe that these are fossil teeth. 

[Kayanddogs]

Thank you guys.  I learned a lot from these conversation.  Especially that i was looking at these teeth upside down. The most embarrassing part is, ............you guys ready to laugh!..........i am a dentist in my spare time.

 

the good news is that i really like the feel and look of the necklace and only paid $40 for them. 

[jpc]

dentist... in your spare time... !!