Worked Fossil Bone

**IndianRiverSonrise** · Mar 08, 2010, 01:12 PM

I found the following on a Florida beach where I find a lot of fossils and a few points. It looks to me like this fossil was worked. I think that maybe straps ran through what i think are obviously created slots. But I may be dreaming. Do you think this fossil bone was worked, and do you have any guesses of what it was used for if it was worked?

The bone is now just over an inch and one fourth long. Here are the photos.

**ohio** · Mar 08, 2010, 02:44 PM

Looks like it could be a broken portion of a jaw and the "worked areas" were actually the tooth sockets.

Chuck

**joshuaream** · Mar 08, 2010, 08:41 PM

It looks worked to me. Looks pretty small, how big is it?

**Produce Guy** · Mar 08, 2010, 11:38 PM

You know,you might take it to a veterinary and see if he can identify it

**Tnmountains** · Mar 08, 2010, 11:46 PM

Could be. They have the best fossil section around here on t-net. Harry Prestis can tell you.Might try a pic of it there,,,,, Cool find if it was used as an abrader.

**centfladigger** · Mar 09, 2010, 01:08 AM

nice piece, definatly looks drilled. I know you find alot of teeth and other fossils there but, have you found artifacts there , if so,whats the time frame? possible archaic and older? could that be fossil ivory? got a good pick of the end section? sorry for all the ?? but that is a cool looking piece you found

**IndianRiverSonrise** · Mar 10, 2010, 09:54 AM

I'll add some addtional photos in repsonse to some of the questions. First will be the two ends of the bone. The small end is broke at an angle of about 30 degrees so I took the photo from an angle that allows viewing of the broke surface. The other end is broke straight off at abot a ninety degree angle. You can see also that a bit of the top of the edge of that side is missing.

I am also adding two photos of what has been identified as an otter jaw. It is of similar size, but a bit smaller. When looking at that jaw, I can not see how that jaw could naturally break and result in what we see in the bone in question. For one thing, the holes in the jaw in question do not appear to taper as I would expect for natural tooth roots, and the holes as they are now, would have the roots extending outside the jaw bone.

If you look at my other post, you will see the points I found there. I have made only two other posts here, one of them shows the points.

I don't know. I don't have anything conclusive, but I am slightly leaning now towards worked bone.
See what you think.

Originally Posted by centfladigger

nice piece, definatly looks drilled. I know you find alot of teeth and other fossils there but, have you found artifacts there , if so,whats the time frame? possible archaic and older? could that be fossil ivory? got a good pick of the end section? sorry for all the ?? but that is a cool looking piece you found