old dead things Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 As some of you are aware I made a trip to Minnesota to go collecting with FF member Bev. I had stayed with friends in Red Wing, Minnesota the night previous and took a slow trip to meet with Bev in Spring Valley. It was a beautiful trip along the Mississippi with the leaves changing color, then across the state where I got to become bewildered for about 20 blissful miles and much to Bev's despair I arrived late. After a quick trip around Bev's environs and seeing all the fossils and rocks she had been collecting my appetite to collect was greatly heightened. Bev showed me many road cuts, some along major highways and others in quiet glens of falling leaves and then a gravel quarry. I will post those pictures in another thread. While in the quarry I found what appeared to be a bone. More precisely a condyle or at least that is what it appeared to be to me. As this was Devonian a bone was out of place. Bev posted a few pictures and here are mine. I am not as convinced as much now as I was then. It has a sand stone appearance and texture. However, a small broken area reveals a more porous structure. I took it today to the Tate Museum to have JPC look at it. As luck would have it JP was at a convention and will not be back until next week and I will post his assessment then. So for now I am going with pseudo fossil bone. What does the forum populace think? Bev unloading her finds. Jim Old Dead Things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Actually, we were in the Ordovician, exclusively Galena Formation. However, this area is rife with ice age fossils! A large mammoth was excavated a couple of years ago in the county just next to us - Houston. There have been many finds of mammoth teeth, giant bison skulls, sabertooth cat skulls, giant beaver, etc. found along the Root River, in corn fields, in creeks, excavating for new homes, and even in sinkholes! And then there are the numerous caves we have here to explore! Given that we had over 7 inches of rain in the week prior to our hunt together. And the area where Jim found the bone was washed heavily from an adjoining corn field, well, it could well be an ice age fossil bone! Bev The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old dead things Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Thank you for the corrections Bev. I should have paid more attention . Hopefully I'll get good news from JP. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyT. Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Looking forward to an identification. Hunting with Bev, it could very well be a T-rex toenail!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 HI Bev et al- Jim just stopped by with this bone for me to look at. We looked at it under ye ole microscope and, it has no bone structure to it. I have no idea what it is and it is uncannily symmetrical, so I think it is a fossil of some kind, but not a bone. jpc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 HI Bev et al- Jim just stopped by with this bone for me to look at. We looked at it under ye ole microscope and, it has no bone structure to it. I have no idea what it is and it is uncannily symmetrical, so I think it is a fossil of some kind, but not a bone. jpc Wow, and YOU are an EXPERT! Bringing Jim to the Ordovician sure turns up some odd, thrillingly odd, stuff! The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Nah.. I just play one on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishguy Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Could it be the living chamber of a ceph look at the round end to see if there is a siphuncle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgcox Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 (edited) Jim I think it is an artifact the grinding end of a pestle what the native Americans used to grind corn. Edited November 8, 2013 by jgcox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgcox Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 here are a couple of pics for comparison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old dead things Posted November 9, 2013 Author Share Posted November 9, 2013 Oops, thought I posted, but I guess not. Anyway Fishguy, there isn't a siphuncle visible, but then I know on some baculites it isn't very visible either. I am kind of leaning towards jgcox's suggestion that it may be a pestle. The end certainly is rounded enough to suggest continuous grinding. It has been fun trying to figure out exactly what it may be and I will keep searching for a definitive answer and as always suggestions from fossil forum members are graciously accepted. Jim Old Dead Things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The pestle idea is very intriquing. We have A LOT of indian artifacts around here! And given that it was found on the top of the quarry after 7 inches of rain in the last 7 days with a cornfield above... Sounds very possible to me! Bev The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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