ID help

[im1cardfan]

I found this in a Southcentral KY branch about 100 yds down from where a spring was bubbling up out of the ground. Looked this morning for about an hr or so on help IDing it but had no luck. This thing is almost same size as  a small can of soup and looks to be perfectly round with no tapering. Anyone in the know?

[coled18]

Maybe a heavily worn cephalopod fragment? 

[Kane]

I have doubts this is a nautiloid given the irregularity of the banding. Could this be of non-biologic origin? @ynot ?

[coled18]

6 minutes ago, Kane said:

I have doubts this is a nautiloid given the irregularity of the banding. Could this be of non-biologic origin? @ynot ?

Yea I had this feeling too

[Sacha]

Looks like a section of old core sample, although somewhat larger diameter than what I'm familiar with.

[abyssunder]

Maybe Artisia of Cordaites ?

 

 

[westcoast]

I think abyssunder has got it.

[TqB]

I agree with abyssunder too.

[ynot]

I agree with sacha, it looks like a weathered core sample.

The banding is inconsistent in size, whereas abysunder's example has fairly regular sized banding

[fossilus]

Cores tend to be standard sizes. How large is the diameter, and how consistent is it?

Is it like 3in?

[Fossildude19]

@Herb

[im1cardfan]

It's right at 2 1/2", and it is pretty consistent with no tapering. So you think it may a petrified center core of wood? 

Edited January 11, 2018 by im1cardfan

[im1cardfan]

I was not sure what you were calling center core...so I googled it. All of them they show are semi-smooth, unlike this one. 

[fossilus]

Actually the type of core I'm talking about is what an oil company (or mining) drills to explore for oil or minerals. It is drilled with a drill bit that has a hollow center. They are sometimes dumped and that is why they may end up where they are not expected. Did the surrounding rock look like your piece? Of so it's probably not a drill core, because a drill core would have come from some depth below the surface. A drill core tends to look somewhat man-made, except its real rock.

[abyssunder]

I think it may be Artisia.
Take a look at this topic:

" Artisia is the name (= form-genus) given to pith casts of cordaitalean stems. The pith is a central region of the stem consisting of tissue that easily decays forming a hollow that may be filled by sediment. This central pith cavity is crossed by bands of more decay-resistant tissue that persists giving Artisia its horizontal bands. " - from here

 

Here is Artisia from Hyden formation, Eastern KY:

 

[im1cardfan]

9 minutes ago, fossilus said:

Actually the type of core I'm talking about is what an oil company (or mining) drills to explore for oil or minerals. It is drilled with a drill bit that has a hollow center. They are sometimes dumped and that is why they may end up where they are not expected. Did the surrounding rock look like your piece? Of so it's probably not a drill core, because a drill core would have come from some depth below the surface. A drill core tends to look somewhat man-made, except its real rock.

Ok, where it was found idk. It was in the middle of a field away from houses, and some of the surrounding rocks were similar in color but not size at all. I will go back and look closer sometime to the surrounding rocks. Here are a few more pics. 

[im1cardfan]

The ones I saw on google were mostly smooth. Any drilling in this area would've strictly been for water, which i guess they would've maybe had to drill some. idk

 

I'm not throwing out that idea yet. Also, now that I think about it...it was in the branch just after a small shallow pond. My first inclination when I saw it amongst the other rocks was that it was something a Native American might have used for a pestle. It was after I got it home and cleaned it up that I thought fossil or something petrified.

[caldigger]

A core sample would be perfectly round. Unless I am looking at it wrong, in the second photo it seems to have an oblong cross section.

[ynot]

If the drill developed a vibration it can produce an oblong cross section with irregulare banding.

I have seen core drill samples that were over 2 inches wide.

[Miocene_Mason]

A strange piece indeed. For no reason in particular, I’m getting abiological vibes.

[Herb]

I agree with abyssunder, plant pith. Here is one of mine from the Penn. of Hazard, KY

[im1cardfan]

Well, one thing is for certain...it's a neat piece and I'm glad I picked it up and brought it home. Maybe I can take it to a nearby rock show in the future and get some more opinions. Thanks for the opinions and output!