Chunk of bone or maybe horn ?

[tamrock]

I picked this up hunting for artifacts. To me it looks old and had been sitting out in the elements for a very long time. I'm thinking it's possibly a piece of bison horn from long ago when they roamed the front range of the Rocky Mountains? I've looked at old bison horn picture remnants found online and some maybe look like what I've found here, but I'm not finding any that show the inside of a bison horn. On the inside cavity there are these ribbed patterns that could be a clue to what animal this 4" x 1-1/4" chunk of bone came from. Still it could be from a cow, but it just looks older than the cattle remains I've come across before.

 

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[kcm]

Bone. Without a doubt.

 

[tamrock]

That rough outer layer lead me to think maybe it's horn. Bone it seems would have a smooth texture, or so it seems to me? But yes horn isn't very thick, so bone is what most likely it is. I found it close to a long ago abandoned RR grade and that also gave me the notion it may have come to the surface when it was laid back in the latter 19th century. The site I found it has yielded artifacts and I strongly believe it would yield much more if excavated. I believe it's a campsite that was frequented for many hundreds of years. I was definitely a fork in a long ago used trail by ancient man and beast IMO and I believe I see evidence of it when I looked on it with Google Earth.

 

[old digger]

It sure looks like it may be. I have some horn cores that show webbing and ribbing inside the horn. (Wish I could share some photo's .)

 

[kcm]

...Sorry guys - I think I'm wrong....again! Looks like horn to me, also. Just a bit distracted at the moment. I somehow read the post as, "Is it bone or rock"?

Mom passed away last night. Got a lot on the brain....which has a hard enough time under 'normal' conditions.

 

[releventchair]

My condolences kcm.

 

[civil_war22]

...Sorry guys - I think I'm wrong....again! Looks like horn to me, also. Just a bit distracted at the moment. I somehow read the post as, "Is it bone or rock"?

Mom passed away last night. Got a lot on the brain....which has a hard enough time under 'normal' conditions.

My condolences KCM.. prayers for you and family

 

[tamrock]

I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother Kieth. Sad it is when those who were with us through thick and thin move on. I really wish for you some peace through it all.

 

[relic lover]

Sorry for your loss. Bison horn has a bony interior part and the black part is like an outer sheath. Really looks like you have part of the inside of boney Part

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[kcm]

Thanks guys. She had Alzheimer's really bad. No more pain.

 

[Broken knee]

...Sorry guys - I think I'm wrong....again! Looks like horn to me, also. Just a bit distracted at the moment. I somehow read the post as, "Is it bone or rock"?

Mom passed away last night. Got a lot on the brain....which has a hard enough time under 'normal' conditions.

Sorry for your loss Bk

 

[tamrock]

Sorry for your loss. Bison horn has a bony interior part and the black part is like an outer sheath. Really looks like you have part of the inside of boney Part

sent from my computer by frantically poking at the keyboard with a single finger

Your saying the inside boney material or core as OD has suggested of a possible bison horn is what I may have here?