need help with id please

[Sarah06]

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.   

Good pictures!

 

What is the size, please?

 

@Harry Pristis

[Sarah06]

Thank you. It's 5 1/4" x 3 1/2" and 2 7/8" thick.  The hole is about 1 1/2."

[butchndad]

atlas vertebra (but i'm usually wrong)

wait for a better educated answer

[Sarah06]

Thanks butchndad. I appreciate it.

[Rockwood]

I'm judging as much by the area it was found as the morphology, but I think  modern cow might be a slight favorite in this race. Are you quite certain it is mineralized ?

[Sarah06]

 Thank you. I will  try to ascertain and get back to you.

[Rockwood]

10 minutes ago, Sarah06 said:

 Thank you. I will  try to ascertain and get back to you.

Commendable ! 

[Sarah06]

Rockwood I tapped it with a spoon and it made a clanking sound, so I am very sure that it's fully mineralized.

[Rockwood]

50 minutes ago, Sarah06 said:

Rockwood I tapped it with a spoon and it made a clanking sound, so I am very sure that it's fully mineralized.

Your control test was done on ?

[Rockwood]

I suspect it may be clear that it's a fossil. That could well open the whole Miocene terrestrial book as tagged. 

[Sarah06]

Wow! Thank you. That is interesting indeed.

[Sarah06]

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean about the control test Rockwood.

[Rockwood]

1 minute ago, Sarah06 said:

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean about the control test Rockwood.

Tap on a modern bone and a stone. It should sound more like the stone. You may not need a comparison but it's always good procedure.

[Sarah06]

Oh okay. Thank you.

[Rockwood]

I learned this during an open house / get your fossil identified day at the Calvert Marine Museum. It would be a good place to ask for help on this if no one is confident on here. 

[Sarah06]

Thank you, will do.

[Sarah06]

Okay, the curator of Paleontology at the Calvert Marine Museum thinks that this is a whale vertebrae, and said it's similar to the ones found at Calvert Cliffs, MD. I thought I'd update you all, since you have been so helpful. Thanks everyone.