Bison? Noob question.

[Paleo_joe]

Hello everyone. I am new to this forum. I am an arrowhead hunter and I came across this eroded out of a small river in central Arkansas yesterday. I thought it was probably a cow, but I posted it on arrowheadology and a couple of people said it might be a bison and to post it where fossil people hang out. So here I am

Can you tell me what type of tooth this is and how old it might be? I would be glad to return the favor if you have any arrowheads you'd like id'd

Thanks!!

 

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[Harry Pristis]

Hello everyone. I am new to this forum. I am an arrowhead hunter and I came across this eroded out of a small river in central Arkansas yesterday. I thought it was probably a cow, but I posted it on arrowheadology and a couple of people said it might be a bison and to post it where fossil people hang out. So here I am

Can you tell me what type of tooth this is and how old it might be? I would be glad to return the favor if you have any arrowheads you'd like id'd

Thanks!!

It's difficult to say with absolute certainty. Your tooth may be a small example of a lower third molar. The stylid is the best indicator. It's age is probably measured in decades or hundreds of years.

Compare for yourself:

 

[Paleo_joe]

Thanks Harry! For answering it twice no less! This is a great forum and I'm enjoying all the other topics as well. I do some metal detecting but nothing like you guys are up to.

 

[fossis]

Welcome to Treasure-Net Joe, you'll like it here.

Fossis............

 

[Rickelpickel]

Yes, Deff... Bison.

 

[11KBP]

Can you tell me what type of tooth this is and how old it might be?
Thanks!!

[size=14pt]

It's age is probably measured in decades or hundreds of years.

How are you determining the age, "decades or hundreds of years" rather than say, possibly thousands of years old?

11KBP

 

[Harry Pristis]

My guess of decades versus thousands of years is based on the way the tooth is weathering. To survive thousands of years, the tooth (the dentin, at least) would have to become permineralized (as are those in my earlier image). This tooth is weathering rather dramatically, and I think that it is more likely to be historic rather than prehistoric.