For your review and comments

[kenley]

The story: In 1959 my father worked in the sahara of North Africa in a undeclosed country. After sand storms, he and some workers would climb in the Land Rover and explore the bare ground and rock ledges that had been left by the shifting sand. On this ocassion, the found a protected ledge in an ancient creek bed that was littered with broken ostrich egg fragments. They were all broken except for two. Dad also picked up a couple of dozen flint arrowheads and assorted tools. One of the shells was broken on the ride back to camp. I have the other.
The obvious: The egg shells had a hole in the end so they could be used to carry a commidity or drinking water. I am sure they were not left there the week-end before by desert nomads on a picnic.
It has always been referd to as Dad's petrefied ostrich egg.
The problem: How do I find out it's age or value? If I disclose the country of origin, what to keep that gov't from demanding it back for a museum display?I didn't think to put a ruller next to the photo. Hell, it's ostrich egg size.
I can post picture of the points tomorrow if anyone is interested.
Any comments/suggestions will be appreciated.

[naturegirl]

Hi kenley, that's cool. Of course, I'm no help other than that, so I'll be watching for comments. Ostriches in North Africa?

[kenley]

If you knew where in North Africa it would be a WOW. That's kinda how I arrived at the "not the last week-end" time period. I don't know if the flints were from the same era or not. They look like the ones I've picked up in Oklahoma and South Texas to me.

[Monty]

I was in North Africa (Libya) for a year and a half and I never saw an ostrich. If I had seen one I would have said wow though. All I saw was snakes, spiders, jackals, gazelle, kangaroo rats and wild camels. Oh, and turd rolling beetles. Oh, and green blow flies by the millions. Never could figure where all the flies came from so far out in the desert. I was on a US practice bombing range out in the desert. Of course the Libyan desert probably wasn't always desert, perhaps not a few thousand years ago? Not doubting you, just wondering what part of N. Africa you are talking about. There was Algeria (play it again Sam), Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt close to where I was. Monty