Anyone willing to give it a whirl? SOLVED

[vibes]

I originally posted this in the Indian Artifacts forum but that doesn't mean it's "Indian"...I've taken it to our Center for History and they don't really know but added that it *could* be a lead paint stir. A good friend of mine (a retired asst. dean at Notre Dame) was intrigued by it but he doesn't have a clue, except to say, "yeah, it's definitely stone and NOT Geofact."

If additional pics are needed I'll belly up to that plate when I get home from work.

I found it in Northern Indiana...not by water..inland.

Thanks!

 

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[ink-a-alot]

Actually, what you have there is most likely a belemnite. It's a fossil. This site has a lot of information about them, and all the different shapes and sizes they come in.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gcaselton/fossil/belemnite.html

Jeff

I know what a celt is and that is not a celt! i agree with alintac, its a fossil..

 

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[Bavaria Mike]

Yes it is definitely a sharpening stone for a sickle, we still use them here in Germany and I find them in the fields on occasion. Found a new in a field once. HH, Mike

 

[BuckleBoy]

Even though it's marked "SOLVED" can I go ahead and keep guessing like everyone else that doesn't read the replies?

 

[Alnitak]

Even though it's marked "SOLVED" can I go ahead and keep guessing like everyone else that doesn't read the replies?

Hey, I read all of the replies, but I think that its improperly marked as "SOLVED." If you disagree, feel free to weigh in.

Jeff

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Hey, I read all of the replies, but I think that its improperly marked as "SOLVED." If you disagree, feel free to weigh in.

Jeff

The owner of the object is satisfied that it is solved. His opinion is the one that counts.

Maybe you could PM him, Jeff, and he could explain this to you. ..or maybe he will respond again. Good link BTW, but he has it in hand, we only have pictures. Do fossils look and feel like ceramic, Jeff? Do they sharpen knives?

 

[DD-777]

Actually, what you have there is most likely a belemnite. It's a fossil. This site has a lot of information about them, and all the different shapes and sizes they come in.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gcaselton/fossil/belemnite.html

Jeff

That's an interesting site link Jeff - had no idea about that type of fossil. If you look at the cross section of Vibes' find and the one on that site, you can see the difference immediately. Truly, the only one that will know for sure just exactly what this piece is, is the person or higher power that created it in the first place. That's the beauty of T'net - so many folks throwing tons of information into the "What is It?" forum that it's impossible to NOT learn something new everyday...

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

That's an interesting site link Jeff - had no idea about that type of fossil. If you look at the cross section of Vibes' find and the one on that site, you can see the difference immediately. Truly, the only one that will know for sure just exactly what this piece is, is the person or higher power that created it in the first place. That's the beauty of T'net - so many folks throwing tons of information into the "What is It?" forum that it's impossible to NOT learn something new everyday...

I would have to disagree. Vibes can tell us. Maybe with this new information, vibes will tell us if he has any doubts. If he sharpened his knife with it, I doubt its a fossil.

 

[DD-777]

That's an interesting site link Jeff - had no idea about that type of fossil. If you look at the cross section of Vibes' find and the one on that site, you can see the difference immediately. Truly, the only one that will know for sure just exactly what this piece is, is the person or higher power that created it in the first place. That's the beauty of T'net - so many folks throwing tons of information into the "What is It?" forum that it's impossible to NOT learn something new everyday...

I would have to disagree. Vibes can tell us. Maybe with this new information, vibes will tell us if he has any doubts. If he sharpened his knife with it, I doubt its a fossil.

Cy - I was not stating that it was a fossil - I was pointing out the differences between what Alnitak thinks it is and the particular item in question. While it does have a resemblance to Belemnite on the outside - once one sees the cross section, it disproves that possibility. Personally, it looks just like what it has been identified as.

8)

 

[Alnitak]

Hey, I read all of the replies, but I think that its improperly marked as "SOLVED." If you disagree, feel free to weigh in.

Jeff

The owner of the object is satisfied that it is solved. His opinion is the one that counts.

Maybe you could PM him, Jeff, and he could explain this to you. ..or maybe he will respond again. Good link BTW, but he has it in hand, we only have pictures. Do fossils look and feel like ceramic, Jeff? Do they sharpen knives?

Sure, fossils can look and feel like a lot of things. I have fossilized shells that are now pyrite. I can show you a link of a belemnite fossilized into fire opal. Fossils can be formed from many types of stone. The original belemnites were formed of calcite, and most are still calcite. Calcite is a hard vitreous mineral and will feel a lot like ceramic (also vitreous). You could most definitely sharpen a knife with it. You can sharpen a knife on nearly any fine-grained stone.

While his opinion of course counts, it's also not definitive. This is the Internet. People hit threads like this from all over time and space. I found this thread due to a link from another thread where it was suggested a similar stone was a sharpening stone based *solely* on the answer here. For that reason alone, it's quite good to make sure that alternate hypotheses are presented.

Look, it could be a sharpening stone. It could be a belemnite. It could be a belemnite that was used as a sharpening stone. Personally I think it's a belemnite; the photo is a perfect match, and its a common fossil. The picture of the broken end is actually *particularly* definitive to me as I can see the remains of a pattern of radial lines, which is exactly how the calcite in a belemnite grew. I can also so the very terminal end of the internal cavity. But like I said, you can disagree.

I would suggest that the OP send the picture to a paleontologist and get an opinion.

Jeff

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Hey, I read all of the replies, but I think that its improperly marked as "SOLVED." If you disagree, feel free to weigh in.

Jeff

The owner of the object is satisfied that it is solved. His opinion is the one that counts.

Maybe you could PM him, Jeff, and he could explain this to you. ..or maybe he will respond again. Good link BTW, but he has it in hand, we only have pictures. Do fossils look and feel like ceramic, Jeff? Do they sharpen knives?

Sure, fossils can look and feel like a lot of things. I have fossilized shells that are now pyrite. I can show you a link of a belemnite fossilized into fire opal. Fossils can be formed from many types of stone. The original belemnites were formed of calcite, and most are still calcite. Calcite is a hard vitreous mineral and will feel a lot like ceramic (also vitreous). You could most definitely sharpen a knife with it. You can sharpen a knife on nearly any fine-grained stone.

While his opinion of course counts, it's also not definitive. This is the Internet. People hit threads like this from all over time and space. I found this thread due to a link from another thread where it was suggested a similar stone was a sharpening stone based *solely* on the answer here. For that reason alone, it's quite good to make sure that alternate hypotheses are presented.

Look, it could be a sharpening stone. It could be a belemnite. It could be a belemnite that was used as a sharpening stone. Personally I think it's a belemnite; the photo is a perfect match, and its a common fossil. The picture of the broken end is actually *particularly* definitive to me as I can see the remains of a pattern of radial lines, which is exactly how the calcite in a belemnite grew. I can also so the very terminal end of the internal cavity. But like I said, you can disagree.

I would suggest that the OP send the picture to a paleontologist and get an opinion.

Jeff

OK fair enough. Im not really disagreeing, Im only saying that vibes is happy with the ID and believes it to be correct. I believe she has shown it to a geologist and a history center and a university. Hopefully she will respond and you can question her and make suggestions.

 

[trikikiwi]

Cool. I'm still interested

Mike

Edit - I am not convinced at all, that it might be a belemnite, having now had a good look at them. The outline might be vaguely similar, but that's where it ends, from what these poor old eyes can see.

Mike

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I sent a PM to vibes.

 

[vibes]

Thanks Bigcypress I appreciate the heads up, as I had NO idea this was still being kicked around.

personally, I don't feel it's a fossil...BUT..I'm willing to play along and take it to whom?

I'm in Northern Indiana, that's where the item in question was found. I do see the similarities but still am NOT 100% sold it's a fossil. I have a lot of fossils, and this one doesn't follow the rules, so to speak.

Now, again I ask, where do I take it, and is it worth the trouble? Gawd, I sound so lazy.

Thanks, this is fun.
Miss vibes

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Old post. So is it a sharpening stone or belemnite? A member found another. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,376171.0.html