Kimi64 Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 On Sunday I found this interesting vertebrae on the Potomac north of Purse. I have no idea what it is despite several hours of looking at vertebrae online. I guess it could be a modern one. My thought is that the more material I collect, the easier future IDs will be. Any ideas? Thanks for looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimi64 Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 (edited) Forgot to say I haven't measured it yet, but it is small, maybe 4-5 cm long at the widest section. Edited April 25, 2018 by Kimi64 Better estimation of size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 8 - 9 cm would make this a cow sized animal. Tap it lightly with a spoon. If it makes a high pitched sound like fine china it is a mineralized fossil. If it's more of a tunk sound it is most likely, but not certainly, modern. There is another test for that, but it involves fire and stink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimi64 Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 Hi Rockwood, Thanks, I know about "fire and stink," my dad's best friend used to be an on-farm butcher and I smelled that smell too often as a child. Can't bring myself to light it because that smell makes me nauseous. I knew there was a clink test, but didn't think about it last night. I will try it tonight, thanks for the reminder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 You say it is small, maybe 8 to 9 cm. that is equivalent to roughly 3.15 inch to 3.5 inch. did you mean 8 to 9 mm ? Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimi64 Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 I am going to edit that until I can measure it for real. Should be more like 4-5 cm. I was overly generous in my estimation last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 4 hours ago, Kimi64 said: I was overly generous in my estimation last night. My judgment tends to wane as the shadows lengthen these days too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimi64 Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 12 minutes ago, Rockwood said: My judgment tends to wane as the shadows lengthen these days too. All of the curvy planes threw me as much as the late hour, it was hard to figure out which axis to measure. Now I just need to figure out what critter it came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 13 minutes ago, Kimi64 said: Now I just need to figure out what critter it came from. When is one of the best clues as to what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimi64 Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 That area is Paleocene, but it is not a shark, or whale, or fish, so I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 13 minutes ago, Kimi64 said: That area is Paleocene, but it is not a shark, or whale, or fish, so I don't know. Can we assume the tink result of mineralization ? Of course you realize it only gets you like 1/4 of the way there. Into the fossil realm. "Old man river he keeps on rolling", things into another time period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimi64 Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 Yes it tinked. The length is 5 cm, width is 5 cm, & depth is 4 cm. Took some photos in natural light today. Magnified a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 I think recent deer. 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...
Kimi64 Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 6 minutes ago, ynot said: I think recent deer. Ok, I am good with that, even though it sounds more like a tink than a thunk. It was if-y on the stick test, so I will go with deer. Love even having weathered modern bones for comparison sake, so not a bad find for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 23 hours ago, Kimi64 said: That area is Paleocene, but it is not a shark, or whale, or fish, so I don't know. I see what you mean. It would appear to be a rare find what ever it is. The Potomac flows through some mesozoic rock around D. C. doesn't it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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