Bones found in coastal cliff

[JVA5th]

Was camping in Northern California coast and hiked a long way along the coast. Eventually came across an area in the cliff side where I could see layers of shell and bone where the cliff had eroded. I got curious and dug into the side and ended up finding some things I kept. Not sure how these got embedded so deep in the cliff face and so far from the water but these are my finds. I suspect they are whale parts but not completely sure and again no idea how they got up there.

 

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[JVA5th]

 

[JVA5th]

These are the teeth I managed to find as I dug

 

[JVA5th]

 

[powrsurg]

Cool Find. Those teeth remind me of predator teeth.

 

[JVA5th]

 

[JVA5th]

These I am not sure what they are different than everything else

 

[JVA5th]

Vertebra

 

[JVA5th]

Also they were not that clean when I dug then lost of dish soap, tooth brush scrubbing and time that got them as they are now.

 

[A2coins]

Those look like dinasour teeth holy moly

 

[smokeythecat]

Wow. Someone will come along and know what they were/are. I'm thinking fossil teeth and bones also.

 

[Plumbata]

Dang man, are those bones, teeth and claws of the extinct giant Short-Faced Bear? I believe they died out around 11,000 years ago. If so those are probably pretty valuable, better go get the rest before the California Ivory-Tower dwellers try confiscating them!

 

[JVA5th]

Those look like dinasour teeth holy moly

Lol I wish they were dino bones they were in a cliff face but I think it is all whale parts but could still be old I'm not sure I'm no archeologist lol

 

[JVA5th]

I don't think they are fossilized or fully anyways they are real fragile. Then again I don't know what is considered fossilized. I've always thought fossils as completely turned to rock. I still think they are whole bones not sure what kind or the age. Also the two unknown bones or teeth are much heavier than the rest. I think they may be from another animal

 

[JVA5th]

What the area looked like that the bones came from.

 

[Hughett]

I think I know!

 

[Megalodon]

I don't think they are fossilized or fully anyways they are real fragile. Then again I don't know what is considered fossilized. I've always thought fossils as completely turned to rock. I still think they are whole bones not sure what kind or the age. Also the two unknown bones or teeth are much heavier than the rest. I think they may be from another animal

There are degrees of fossilization. In the deposits where I find shark teeth fossils in MD (Calvert Cliffs), they are very hard, usually black or dark gray, and fully mineralized. But other fossils in the same deposits, especially smaller bivalves and gastropods, crumble in handling them. There are many factors that determine the degree of fossilization. As for the distance to the water, you are looking at the present sea levels. At the time these animals died and their parts fossilized, sea levels were much higher.

I'm not familiar with your fossils - we don't see those in our cliffs. I believe the fossils in your post #4 are mammals. Do you have a museum in the area with fossil displays? Or a fossil club? I'd show them to a paleontologist for a correct identification.

 

[JVA5th]

There are degrees of fossilization. In the deposits where I find shark teeth fossils in MD (Calvert Cliffs), they are very hard, usually black or dark gray, and fully mineralized. But other fossils in the same deposits, especially smaller bivalves and gastropods, crumble in handling them. There are many factors that determine the degree of fossilization. As for the distance to the water, you are looking at the present sea levels. At the time these animals died and their parts fossilized, sea levels were much higher.

I'm not familiar with your fossils - we don't see those in our cliffs. I believe the fossils in your post #4 are mammals. Do you have a museum in the area with fossil displays? Or a fossil club? I'd show them to a paleontologist for a correct identification.

I'll look around I'm sure I can find somewhere to take them. I'm pretty sure these animals are ones that are still living

 

[Megalodon]

I'll look around I'm sure I can find somewhere to take them. I'm pretty sure these animals are ones that are still living

Sometimes it can be very hard to tell fresh from fossil. My son uses a torch and claims new bones will burn while fossils will not.

 

[Plumbata]

So are the jawbones from a bear or multiple bears and the loose teeth from a juvenile sperm whale? Finding all those together makes me think it may be a native American bone midden/dumpsite, were the pieces scattered around in a manner not likely with a natural assemblage from a dead animal, were they mixed up and with shells of edible shellfish?