Fossilized Tortoise Head, Pseudofossil, or . . . ?

[AllGrownsUp]

Hi, I'm new here. My husband and I bought a house in the Mojave desert last spring and have found many rock treasures there over the summer. The area we're in used to have volcanic activity in addition to ocean streams. We've found huge bones, tons of petrified wood, some oddly shaped rocks, points & frequently find seashells.

 

Initially I thought this rock might be some old Paleoindian art. It looks a lot like a tortoise except I don't believe they've had teeth for millions of years. I found some photos of old tortoises which have a strange small white row of something bony along the bottom insides of their mouths so maybe? It could be some sort of petrified extinct reptile I don't know about - maybe it was buried in ash which preserved it's details, otherwise I can't explain why there are no holes as a typical skull would have. The back and side are broken off but I'm hoping to dig around and try to find them (and maybe a body?) on our next trip to the property. I'm confident there are other missing parts as the broken back and sides look nothing like the smooth side shown. 

 

I'm willing to accept this may just be a very cool looking rock and nothing more but I think the area I found it in being known for this type of reptile, the size, the perfect placement of the eye socket, 2 dots for the nose, and lower jawline would be a pretty amazing coincidence. If you look closely there are also scales outlined along the top portion. So cool rock or maybe something more, what do we think?

 

 

[AllGrownsUp]

Also here's one of the photos online showing the inside of a rare turtle mouth with teeth.

 

 

[caldigger]

I think you've found a rock.

 Do you have any samples of some of the fossils you described in your post?

[AllGrownsUp]

6 minutes ago, caldigger said:

I think you've found a rock.

 Do you have any samples of some of the fossils you described in your post?

You mean of the bones & petrified rock, shells, points etc? For sure. I'll be back on the property Sunday night & can upload some pics Monday. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Yes, it's just a suggestively eroded piece of rock. 

And that turtle does not have teeth, it's just the way its beak has grown. 

[AllGrownsUp]

10 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Yes, it's just a suggestively eroded piece of rock. 

And that turtle does not have teeth, it's just the way it's beak has grown. 

Regardless of the name of the long row of tiny square bone-like bone-colored items lining the bottom circumference of the inside jaw in that photo, do they not at all resemble the line of the ones on my rock? What would be the 4th square white bony structure along the bottom row of that turtle's jaw on each side is pointed like a canine. And the one which would be where that same "tooth" lies on mine is as well.

[Bobby Rico]

5 hours ago, AllGrownsUp said:

And the one which would be where that same "tooth" lies on mine is as well.

Hi and welcome to TFF.

I am sorry but it is just an coincidence that your rock looks to have a Jaw line. Mother Nature is a trickster and I see where you are coming from but it is just a cool looking weathered rock. Both members that commented first are incredible knowledgable poeple and also @Tidgy's Dad is an expert on tortoise . A house in the mojave desert wow.   

 

[Fossildude19]

7 hours ago, AllGrownsUp said:

Regardless of the name of the long row of tiny square bone-like bone-colored items lining the bottom circumference of the inside jaw in that photo, do they not at all resemble the line of the ones on my rock? What would be the 4th square white bony structure along the bottom row of that turtle's jaw on each side is pointed like a canine. And the one which would be where that same "tooth" lies on mine is as well.

However, they are not bone textured, and not bone.  

The granularity of the host matrix has made a tooth-ish looking area. 

 

The human brain is wired to see familiar patterns. 

Please read up on Pareidoilia. 

[RJB]

 This is case where the imagination takes over and tells you its a fossil of some sort when its really just a rock.  With more experience, this goes away.  Good luck

 

RB

[caldigger]

What part of the Mojave? It is a rather large area as you know.  Almost that entire desert is volcano in one form or another.

I could have bought the "town" of Kelso at one time. It was for sale back in the day.