KY Find: Prehistoric creature part? Native American weapon?

[coachbedford]

My dad pulled this out of the ground in central KY last year. Has some fossilized shells on the back of it. A peculiar slice across the face of it. Quite heavy and dense (that is a hotel chocolate mint next to it for size reference).

Just an odd shaped rock (VERY odd shaped)? Man made? A prehistoric Indian club? A giant saber tooth or tusk (though seems to heavy/too odd shaped to be either)? A giant prehistoric snail? Dinosaour tooth? Any theories would be welcome.

 

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[SkaBa]

Odd shaped rock.

 

[BosnMate]

Those hatched lines make me think it might be part of a fossil, but that would just be a swag.

 

[coachbedford]

while at this point you can never rule out 'odd shaped rock' I will say that this piece differs wildly from the usual flat-ish slate rock you usually find above and below ground in that part of central KY.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sorry, but I see nothing that suggests an artifact..

 

[Crispin]

You can definitely rule out anything that came from a living organism. Unless somebody covered it in plaster first...

 

[coachbedford]

Crispin, interesting you brought up plaster-- because the look of this piece somewhat reminds me of the "plaster" bodies of people found in Pompeii. So maybe this body part/organism or whatever, was covered and filled in by volcanic ash. The shape is just so peculiar, as is the slash across the one side.

 

[OWK]

possible coprolite

 

[Crispin]

Crispin, interesting you brought up plaster-- because the look of this piece somewhat reminds me of the "plaster" bodies of people found in Pompeii. So maybe this body part/organism or whatever, was covered and filled in by volcanic ash. The shape is just so peculiar, as is the slash across the one side.

Yeah, I understand what you are looking at it. I guarantee it is not part of a human body part. That type of crease is only seen in soft matter such as a spleen, liver, or brain. I just can't see that ever happening under any natural circumstance.

i agree the slash is peculiar but based on physiology of bones there is no evolutionary reason to have that. It would have to be a vestigial organ or byproduct of extinct evolution. Those things are also extremely uncommon.

Something caused that slash, my guess it was created with the rock itself. Or perhaps it was embedded in a position that increased wear at that point. It is a cool looking piece. If you really want to get some answers then saw it in half and post the cross section. I could tell you a lot more about living anatomy on that. However, it would destroy the piece and I really think that is the wrong path....Up to you...would you rather know more about it or keep it intact?

 

[fyrffytr1]

I found a piece very similar to yours while visiting my brother in Stanton, Ky. I thought it was an axe but learned it was just a rock. I still have it though.

 

[coachbedford]

fryyfrytr1, yes yours does look pretty similar. Is yours heavy also?
Crispin, it did cross my mind that cutting into it might reveal more of its secrets, but man, would hate to decimate it that way. Besides, it's my dad's not mine. But I have gotten some good thoughts on this today, some avenues to pursue.

 

[stefen]

Sure its a JAFR or possibly a Sex Rock...

 

[fyrffytr1]

fryyfrytr1, yes yours does look pretty similar. Is yours heavy also?
Crispin, it did cross my mind that cutting into it might reveal more of its secrets, but man, would hate to decimate it that way. Besides, it's my dad's not mine. But I have gotten some good thoughts on this today, some avenues to pursue.

Yes, it is heavy for it's size.

 

[sutphin]

ITS CALLED A HARD ROCK AND I WILL TELL YOU HOW I KNOW THIS. ITS THE SAME DARN ROCK MY WIFE HIT ME IN THE HEAD WITH, WHEN I SAID I WASNT GOING TO A FAMILY REUNION AND WOULD RATHER DETECT. YEAH I WOULD KNOW THAT STYLE FROM ANYWHERE HURTS TO THINK ABOUT IT. SIR I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR ROCK IS BUT IF YOU THINK IT HAS A LOT IN COMMON TO A PREHISTORIC ORIGIN THEN NOTHING WRONG WITH BELEIVING.

 

[coachbedford]

Number 4 on the All-Time List of least inspiring words of encouragement: "But it's o.k if YOU believe it!"