mcgon Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Not sure... It's in a stone. Looks like tracks embossed on the stone> Any ideas? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 It certainly looks like it could be some sort of fossil, but I have no idea what it is. You may want to add the size of the thing and what formation you found it in to help get it ID'd. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgon Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 Thanks for your reply RJB. Here are a couple more photos with some scale in them. The item was found on the shore/beach in the south eastern tip of Ireland. I'm just really curious what it could be. The pattern wraps all the way around the stone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 It looks like a section of a Calamites from the Carboniferous Period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 It looks like a section of a Calamites from the Carboniferous Period. I don't know what else it could be, but then again I'm limited by what I don't know. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgon Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 thanks for this guys. I think your suggestions may be right. It looks very very similar to the photo posted by Auspex! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgon Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 possibly the strangest thing is it has changed colour in the past 2 hours. It was light grey and it seems my handling it has caused it to become a very dark charcoal grey colour now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 possibly the strangest thing is it has changed colour in the past 2 hours. It was light grey and it seems my handling it has caused it to become a very dark charcoal grey colour now... If any Pyrite is involved in it's fossilization, it may be oxidizing. Give it a good hard sniff to see if you can detect any hint of sulphur; "pyrite disease" is an insidious destroyer of pyritized fossils. Is the material sound enough to give it a fresh water soak? Since it was found in salt water, soaking for a while it in several changes of fresh might also help to preserve it. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 possibly the strangest thing is it has changed colour in the past 2 hours. It was light grey and it seems my handling it has caused it to become a very dark charcoal grey colour now... If it is somewhat porous, it could have soaked up some skin oils or lotion from your hand. If it is not soft and crumbly, you could wash it with some soap and warm water and an old toothbrush. Rinse well. Nice find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 It's not lead is it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgon Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 Hey guys, thats great info from you all, thanks. It's not lead or metallic based and is a very solid compact stone. Not crumbly at all. I'll smell it tomorrow and also give it a good clean. I think it will have no problems taking a good clean and rinse as it feels very solid stone. Quite excited to think its a fossil. Might take a trip back to the same beach next week and have a look around again for similar finds. I'm only taking an interest in this now sp pure luck I spotted it and decided to keep it and ask if its possibly a fossil of some sort. thanks for all the advice so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgon Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 gave it a wash and a rinse and dried it under a hand drier.. The light gray appearance is back. It must have just picked up moisture or skin oil from me handling it. Thanks again for all the advice. Delighted to find out it defo appears to be Calamites. Will return to the same beach to look for more soon. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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