First post – odd find

Homepage Forums What Is It? First post – odd find

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #86578
    Ted Johnson
    Participant

    I found this two weeks ago in Alabama, 2 miles from the Chattahoochee River near Fort Mitchell, Alabama.  I was searching gravel bars in Uchee Creek for petrified wood when I found this in the forest on my way back to my vehicle.  It is 8″ in height and averages 6″ wide at different points.  I first identified it as petrified wood, but after researching vertebrate fossils in the area, I thought maybe it could be a hadrosaur bone fragment, possibly part of humerus, though I still believe its petrified/fossilized wood.  There are no other rocks or stone in that forest, and any rock or stone in Uchee Creek is pebble size (very muddy river and cuts).  The forest floods quite often during wet periods, so there is little ground cover. Photo 1: Front Photo 2: back Photo 3: base/bottom Photo 4: lying down, profile

    Attachments:
    You must be logged in to view attached files.
    #86583
    Ted Johnson
    Participant

    …though the humerus possibility is unlikely, here’s two images that put it into context.  The first is an image of a humerus, the second of another petrified wood log found in the southeastern U.S.  You can see similarities of both, though it still appears to be petrified wood.  I did collect about 25 pounds of petrified wood pieces from the creek nearby, though this piece was unique in size and shape.

    Attachments:
    You must be logged in to view attached files.
    #86586
    Patrick Hsieh
    Participant

    Not sure I see a clear delineation between a compact bone and spongy bone layer, which is indicative of bone. Even compact bone is expected to have holes (foramens) to admit blood vessels to provide nutrients since bone is still living tissue. I’m not sure I see any here. A cross section that shows these two layers would confirm that this is bone, but absent that, I’m not sure.

    #86587
    Bill Heim
    Participant

    Definitely looks like wood.  Looks just like a chunk of wood that has been sitting outside in the elements for a while.  Also there are no pores in the areas where the insides have been exposed as you would expect with bone.

     

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.