Like a claw fossil or something.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the identification of a rock or fossil-like object found by a participant's husband in Park Forest, Illinois. Participants explore various hypotheses regarding its nature, including whether it is a fossil, a type of rock, or a tool. The context includes geological considerations and local history.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests the object might be a claw fossil, while others question this identification.
  • Another participant proposes it looks like a cobble, asking about its lithology.
  • A participant mentions finding the object in a swamp and asserts it is not cobble, noting its weight of around 3 pounds.
  • Concerns are raised about the consistency of the images, with one participant questioning if the third picture shows a different rock.
  • Some participants speculate it could be a hammerstone or a bone fragment, with one noting the dark area in the first photo might indicate spongy bone material.
  • A humorous suggestion is made that it could be a "precambrian fossilized potato," while another participant expresses skepticism about its fossil status.
  • There is a suggestion to take the object to the Field Museum for in-person identification, with a general sentiment that online identification may be challenging.
  • One participant comments on the geological context of Illinois, stating that the area is not known for fossil finds and suggesting the object may simply be a polished rock.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the nature of the object, with no consensus reached on its identification. Some participants lean towards it being a fossil, while others argue it is likely a rock or tool.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the geological history of the area, including its swampy past and the effects of glacial activity, which may influence the object's characteristics. There are unresolved questions about the object's composition and the implications of its appearance in the photographs.

garyankrom
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Ok, I was wondering if anyone new what this was. My husband, found it a long time ago by his parents house when he was a kid. He always believed it to be some kind of fossil. Like a claw or something.
 

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It looks like a cobble. Flat and smooth due to running water. Do you know the lithology?
 


i found it in a swamp about 19 20 years ago.
Park Forest, Illinois used to be nothing but swamp land.
its not cobble though.
also it weighs around 3 pounds
 


garyankrom said:
i found it in a swamp about 19 20 years ago.
Park Forest, Illinois used to be nothing but swamp land.
its not cobble though.
also it weighs around 3 pounds
The 3rd picture doesn't look like the first 2, are these two different rocks?
 


Evo said:
The 3rd picture doesn't look like the first 2, are these two different rocks?
Prehistoric Pet Rock?
 


Or possibly some kind of hammerstone used by someone. IMO, it doesn't look like any kind of fossil I've ever seen.
 


Evo said:
The 3rd picture doesn't look like the first 2, are these two different rocks?
I believe on the third photo, we are seeing it on edge. To me, it does not resemble a claw. Even in a fossil state claws still look very much like claws.
Most of IL. was a shallow Cyprus swamp, and did have Mastodon and other animals. It could be a bone fragment. In the first photo, the dark area on the bottom left, may be the spongy area inside a bone. A extreme close up of that area would be more telling.
 
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It's a precambrian fossilized potato, judging from the first two pictures.

Pic #3 - who knows?
 


all the pictures are of the same rock, potato LOL!

can i take it to the field museum, does anybody think they would be able to tell me?
 
  • #10


Having someone identify it in person will be much easier than over the net. I can't see anything in the pictures that screams 'interesting fossil' though
 
  • #11


The surface of Illinois is basically ground up soil from the ice age.
Not a good place to find many fossils. A smooth rock found near the surface was probably polished by water over many years.

If this were encased within a sedimentary rock or strata, then it might be something, but it looks like a piece of quartz or marble.
 

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