Are there any Anthropologist's on RallyPoint?

2017-01-05T02:48:26-05:00

My mother is a rock collector and is currently building a fire place with some rocks that shes collected over the last few years. A few months ago she was cleaning this one off and we thought little of it and just made a joke that this was her Neanderthal rock.
so I am curious as how to tell if human teeth can be fossilized? It follows a good jaw outline and has 10-11 what may be teeth?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2017 3:06 AM

2017-01-05T03:06:01-05:00

Strange rock. If you have a Natural Museum near you, take it to them and see what they make of it. Or a university that has a geology and anthropology or even a paleontology dept.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jan 5 at 2017 3:06 AM

2017-01-05T03:06:06-05:00

I can't speak to whether or not there's any here, SFC Private RallyPoint Member, But any community-college-level anthropologist would be able to answer this pretty quickly, and probably happily. I'd try seeing your local one.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jan 5 at 2017 3:10 AM

2017-01-05T03:10:37-05:00

On another note, that's a dead ringer for a primate set of teeth. So any effort and time you put towards figuring this mystery out is well worth the slight chance that they might be. I hope you let us know!

Response by PO3 John Wagner made Jan 5 at 2017 4:42 AM

2017-01-05T04:42:03-05:00

It could be tested easily enough. I think the anthropology department at any local university,would be more than happy to give you an age. If it's fairly new I'm sure the local authorities might also be interested..cold case fields and all that.
Be advised. If it was a politicians teeth the artifact could easily be misidentified as the jawbone of an ass.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Jan 5 at 2017 5:05 AM

2017-01-05T05:05:09-05:00

That does look a lot like a set of human-like teeth to be some random formation in the rock. Good idea to take it to someone who knows, even a local college or university anthropology teacher/professor could provide some insights. Let RP know what you find out...

Response by SFC George Smith made Jan 5 at 2017 10:29 AM

2017-01-05T10:29:39-05:00

sorry this looks Like My first wife's cookies... and Second wife's Brand Muffins... so this must have been baked by one of their ancestors...

Response by SPC James Harsh made Jan 5 at 2017 11:23 AM

2017-01-05T11:23:51-05:00

I used to do stone masonry and my guess is that it is a soft stone probably a river rock, possibly smooth from being moved over time or fossilized teeth lol

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2017 4:28 PM

2017-01-05T16:28:14-05:00

I feel like Im finding out the sex of my unborn baby Im not pregnant with! Hahaha... Buuuuuuut IT'S A FOSSIL!!!!!! Eeeek !!!
Just unsure if its teeth or not. They want to do some kind of ex ray on it but they won't have access to the proper equipment until school started. Apparently there still on winter break.