GorillamoRex Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Many years ago, a friend from Arizona gave me this item. He didn't know what it is but thought it interesting. Memory fails as to exactly where he found it but he lives in northwest Arizona. I came across it in a box recently and would like to know if it is a fossil or not. Forgive the quality of the photos but it's the best I can do with what I have at the moment. I can take better photos later if anyone needs to see better. (I've labelled the three attached photos arbitrarily as top, bottom, and front.) Can anyone identify this item for me? Thanks, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 It is pretty weathered, but perhaps this might be a bivalve steinkern along the lines of a "deer heart" clam. 8 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Welcome to the Forum! You have a bivalve steinkern with some nice borings. 3 " 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...
ynot Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Welcome to TFF! I agree with a bivalve steinkern. 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...
Andy B Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Wow, I now want too find a bivalve steinkern myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorillamoRex Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 Thank you, everyone, for your speedy responses! After reading the above, I image-Googled "bivalve steinkern" and (LOL) saw one of the photos I had JUST posted on this forum! I also found this entry elsewhere on this forum: "What you have there is a Protocardia Texana. They are a type of bivalve steinkern from the Jurassic and are sometimes called a bull's heart. These were disocvered by Robert Plot at Headington, who referred to them as 'Bucardites'. They are now known by the scientific name Protocardia . Their resemblance to a heart becomes apparent when the fossils are viewed from the side, with the mould of the left valve on one side and that of the right valve on the other." Fascinating world in so many ways! Thanks again, Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorillamoRex Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 Is steinkern pronounced stine-kern or steen-kern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 13 minutes ago, GorillamoRex said: Is steinkern pronounced stine-kern or steen-kern? Depends on where you are in Germany! I would pronounce it "shtyne-kurn" but whenever I speak German I go with the old Prussian standard of pronouncing "ich/mich" with the hard consonant of ickh/mickh rather than the fancy Berliner eesh/meesh. It makes German love poetry sound like you are going to annex them. 2 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssunder Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 in German " 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...
Tidgy's Dad Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Hello, and a very warm welcome to TFF to you and your steinkern from Morocco! Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Welcome to the Forum. There are also the ones from the east coast, usually attributed to Cucullaea sp. They are sometimes colloquially called Deer Hearts, Turtle Heads, Bull Hearts. 3 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...
DPS Ammonite Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 The steinkern does not look like any type ( shape or dark color - phosphatic?) that occurs in Arizona. In northwestern Arizona most marine bivalves come from the Martin, Redwall, Suprise Canyon, and Kaibab Formations, none of which have similar fossils. In a slightly unrelated matter, maybe TFF should allow members to make a post as a sound clip so that we may hear how they pronounce/mispronounce "steinkern" and other paleontological terms. Plus, would not @Tidgy's Dad sound so much more authoritative and distinguished while giving an opinion in his native accent. 3 My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned. See my Arizona Paleontology Guide link The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorillamoRex Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 You wouldn't want to hear me slaughter these words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 1 hour ago, GorillamoRex said: You wouldn't want to hear me slaughter these words! I pronounce it "shtine-cairn". As Kane indicated, in German "st" is pronounced as "sht". And the "e" in "kern" is pronounced like "ay". It translates simply to "stone core" or "stone kernal" (the lithified mud from within the shell). In German, the words sound complicated to us. But in translation many seem more simple than our terms. We say dictionary. They say worterbuch (which translates to "words book) (apologies to my German friends, I don't have an umlaut on my phone) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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