DirtManicure
Greenie
Hi guys,
I have a few of my head scratchers rounded up for anyone who wants to take a stab at them, and possibly laugh at me. Here goes!
Location for all is a canyon in Orange County (Southern California). Loads of jasper, hematite, mica schist and quartz varieties, depending on how far up the mountain you go. Close to silver and copper mines, so lots of blue and green schist, serpentine, even some chrysocolla on a lucky day. Have found ruby and garnet in the area (mostly just matrix), and a very nice purple poryphry stone. My hand can be used for scale, wrist to middle finger tip 6.5” and 3” across... yes they’re baby hands. My 13 year old is bigger than me.
The boot, which I thought was petrified wood then bone then I noticed the weird imprint in the top and gave up. Chert, calcite and quartz. 4”x4”x2” front is very smooth almost waxy to touch.
The confoundit: possibly end of a large long bone or just a branch. The center is confusing to me. This one is dense and very heavy, “rind” portions more so than the “flesh” of the inner parts. Whitish core is almost sponge-like or reminiscent of pumice.
The leaf: This one is almost definitely carved but what’s it do? (Other side is concave, same thickness ~4-5mm over entire piece) haven’t polished the patina off but it sounds like it’ll be serpentine or possibly agate.
The diamond: Tool? Bone? Could just be natural but the ends broken to come to angles in the center makes me wonder. Jasper-ish (the canyon these came from is pretty much jasper central.)
The shell: definitely chert, thought it was just a jasper. But the “top” is smooth as plastic and has curved high/low bands and from the side it looks like a shell of some sort. Shell portion is ~1.5mm thick
This thing. It doesn’t get a title. Core? Scraper? Aberration meant to confuse people millennia later? It’s the latter, isn’t it? Has defined tool marks, like a pattern was scored and not followed precisely, and several conchoidal strike marks. About 4” by 3.5” and 1.5-2” high when it’s in “boat” or “clog” position
I have a few of my head scratchers rounded up for anyone who wants to take a stab at them, and possibly laugh at me. Here goes!
Location for all is a canyon in Orange County (Southern California). Loads of jasper, hematite, mica schist and quartz varieties, depending on how far up the mountain you go. Close to silver and copper mines, so lots of blue and green schist, serpentine, even some chrysocolla on a lucky day. Have found ruby and garnet in the area (mostly just matrix), and a very nice purple poryphry stone. My hand can be used for scale, wrist to middle finger tip 6.5” and 3” across... yes they’re baby hands. My 13 year old is bigger than me.
The boot, which I thought was petrified wood then bone then I noticed the weird imprint in the top and gave up. Chert, calcite and quartz. 4”x4”x2” front is very smooth almost waxy to touch.
The confoundit: possibly end of a large long bone or just a branch. The center is confusing to me. This one is dense and very heavy, “rind” portions more so than the “flesh” of the inner parts. Whitish core is almost sponge-like or reminiscent of pumice.
The leaf: This one is almost definitely carved but what’s it do? (Other side is concave, same thickness ~4-5mm over entire piece) haven’t polished the patina off but it sounds like it’ll be serpentine or possibly agate.
The diamond: Tool? Bone? Could just be natural but the ends broken to come to angles in the center makes me wonder. Jasper-ish (the canyon these came from is pretty much jasper central.)
The shell: definitely chert, thought it was just a jasper. But the “top” is smooth as plastic and has curved high/low bands and from the side it looks like a shell of some sort. Shell portion is ~1.5mm thick
This thing. It doesn’t get a title. Core? Scraper? Aberration meant to confuse people millennia later? It’s the latter, isn’t it? Has defined tool marks, like a pattern was scored and not followed precisely, and several conchoidal strike marks. About 4” by 3.5” and 1.5-2” high when it’s in “boat” or “clog” position
