Curious Rocks

[fritolei]

I've edited more photos to fit this format. Does any one have any ideas about this on. Being an old hunter, I immediately thought, bone with sinew, and flecks of meat stuck to it. lol I found this along the Medina river, between the Edwards Plateau and the Balcones escarpment in the Texas hill country.

Edited August 30, 2015 by fritolei

[fritolei]

Here is another, of the same area, I thought to be a claw of some type.

[fritolei]

Here is one more. This my girl friend's 16 year old daughter found. same area. I'm assuming some type of worm?

[Auspex]

I think the first two are rudists; weird reef-building tubular clams.

The third is a water-worn chunk of limestone with a vein of harder mineral in it.

[fritolei]

Thought I'd put this tooth on to see what anybody thought. Found it near the Brazos river at Brock, Texas west of Fort Worth.

[fritolei]

This is a hill country find, that I figured for petrified wood. But I'm not so sure.

[Auspex]

The first, I think, is from a cow.

[abyssunder]

Also in my opinion is a cow tooth, because the stylid is weak compared to the robust one of bison tooth, and looks to be fall away because of the loss of cementum.

[fritolei]

Also in my opinion is a cow tooth, because the stylid is weak compared to the robust one of bison tooth, and looks to be fall away because of the loss of cementum.

Ya'll are probably right. I thought horse. It seemed to be in early fossilization state just by feel, and texture. Would cow be that old? Just curious, how long does it take before fossilizing starts?

Edited September 2, 2015 by fritolei

[abyssunder]

The fossilization process depends on the environmental factors, several chemical, biological and physical processes contribute to the degradation or preservation of the specimen. The most common type of fossilization is called permineralization (petrification), when water dissolves minerals and seeps into/between the hard parts of the remains (after the soft parts decay in sediment) particularly in bones and teeth, and form crystals which cause the remains to harden, and that necessitating time. Teeth, because of the enamel, which is more crystaline than other calcified tissues and has a negligible organic content, are hard and has good resistance to fracture, will be the last to be destroyed by the chemical/physical processes. If a tooth, because of the coloration looks old (Staining from soil water may cause the tooth to be black or dark brown ), could be, but it not means that it is. Your tooth in question looks very light coloured and I think is not too old to be permineralized, is just degraded by environmental factors.

[fritolei]

The fossilization process depends on the environmental factors, several chemical, biological and physical processes contribute to the degradation or preservation of the specimen. The most common type of fossilization is called permineralization (petrification), when water dissolves minerals and seeps into/between the hard parts of the remains (after the soft parts decay in sediment) particularly in bones and teeth, and form crystals which cause the remains to harden, and that necessitating time. Teeth, because of the enamel, which is more crystaline than other calcified tissues and has a negligible organic content, are hard and has good resistance to fracture, will be the last to be destroyed by the chemical/physical processes. If a tooth, because of the coloration looks old (Staining from soil water may cause the tooth to be black or dark brown ), could be, but it not means that it is. Your tooth in question looks very light coloured and I think is not too old to be permineralized, is just degraded by environmental factors.

Yeah, I thought it questionable. But it's one i would like to have dated, just for my own observation basis. Hey abyssunder, I appreciate the info man. I'm learning!

[abyssunder]

I'm not a specialist in teeth, but I'm exposed what's in my thinking. Here are a lot of people whose knowledge are beyond of mine. I also learn every day and I think this is the way to go further.

[fritolei]

I'm not a specialist in teeth, but I'm exposed what's in my thinking. Here are a lot of people whose knowledge are beyond of mine. I also learn every day and I think this is the way to go further.

Yes sir abyssunder! Can't learn without asking, most times. I appreciate your input at all times.