Whale rib or mammoth tusk?

[GTK96]

My guess is one or the other, Warwick River found by a friend, is near 2' long and fossilized on the inside...note grooves on one edge, any ideas welcome...thanks guys!

 

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[GTK96]

Hold on, fixing pics

 

[GTK96]

There..

 

[kuger]

looks like Tusk to me!

 

[BosnMate]

There has been two tusks found in the creek that runs past my house. They are on display in the local museum, and both are larger than your find. That said, looks like a tusk to me, rib bones are flat.

 

[golden sluice]

Wheres a paleontologist when you need one? looks like tusk to me too... i'm not a paleontologist, nor dress up as one on Halloween.

 

[Charlesp54]

Looks like a tusk to me. It looks like it has growth rings on it close to your hand, that would mean tusk or horn. It also has groves running the length of it which makes me think tusk. But i am no expert.

 

[fever87]

There has been two tusks found in the creek that runs past my house. They are on display in the local museum, and both are larger than your find. That said, looks like a tusk to me, rib bones are flat.

I concur (and not just because he is a Navy brother). Ribs are flat and you would see "holes" or cellular-like structure if it were bone. With ivory look at the ends an it would almost appear to have a tree-ring like structure to it.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

sure make some nice knife scales.
I agree it is a tusk...what part of the nation was this found?

 

[GTK96]

sure make some nice knife scales. I agree it is a tusk...what part of the nation was this found?

Bank of the Warwick River, southeastern Virginia

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

interesting find...after a quick google search, finding mammoth teeth is not uncommon there.

 

[longcut]

a test for fossilized ivory ....... wet your tongue and stick it to the piece ,,, then slowly pull your tongue away ............ if it is ivory , you will get a similar affect as sticking your tongue to something really really cold ..................your tongue will stick to it for a second ..........

 

[yaxthri]

That applies for some fossil bones, too. Sorry that's not a really good test for distinguishing ivory from bone, but it will help to rule out plain stone.

 

[longcut]

yaxthri ........ For my future benefit .... can you give an example of what fossil bones "test" the same as ivory ..... I would like to know since I still do a little fossil hunting here on the Mississippi River .............. Thanks

 

[geologyjohn]

GT, I think that you have a tusk there. I have taken 4 paleontology classes, but am not a paleontologist, nor have I played one on the Big Screen. But I have been a geologist for almost 40 years and have seen a few tusks come off sites where I was working. Good find! Geologyjohn

 

[yaxthri]

yaxthri ........ For my future benefit .... can you give an example of what fossil bones "test" the same as ivory ..... I would like to know since I still do a little fossil hunting here on the Mississippi River .............. Thanks

If I understood your question correctly, to tell them apart you will have to check a crossection if possible. They look quite different as fever87 already wrote above.
Hope this helps. And if in doubt, pick it up and post it here, I'll let you know what I think you have as will other TNeters I'm sure...