Some kind of turtle or reptilian head that was crushed

[Bty93]

I seem to have a turtle head or some kind of reptilian head that was smashed and fossilized. It still has some skin under its head. My best guess is it's a turtle species of some kind. But I'm wondering what kind?

[hemipristis]

Sorry, not a fossil. 

[Randyw]

First welcome to the forum! Second I'm sorry to say I’m not seeing a fossil of any kind here. Theres no bilateral symmetry, no sutures, no bone texture etc of any kind here….

[shark57]

This is just a nicely shaped rock.

[rocket]

Welcome to TFF, @Bty93.

About your finding, sorry to say, but it only looks like a skull, but is an interesting shaped rock

[Fossildude19]

Geologic map of Indiana.

 

   

 

 

Fayette County has Ordovician and Silurian aged sediments exposed.

Much too old for any kind of turtle or reptile fossil.

 

Also, the rock pictured shows no bone, or bone textures, no skin, no skull morphology, no bilateral symmetry.

 

It looks like a piece of limestone with perhaps some shell or other invertebrate or mineral inclusions.

 

 

[RJB]

There's so much of this  being posted that I'm not sure if there is that much pareidolia in the world or these guys are just joking around?

 

RB

[Fossildude19]

2 hours ago, RJB said:

There's so much of this  being posted that I'm not sure if there is that much pareidolia in the world or these guys are just joking around?

 

RB

 

 

Ron,

 

I believe many of these people are genuinely asking what they have.

 

I think a lot of people just see something, and think it may be the something it "looks like".  (Pareidolia). 

Everyone has it/experiences it, at least to some degree.
It is difficult to discount what you see in front of you, ... when you don't know how fossils are formed, or what they SHOULD REALLY look like in person.

 

It is an easy thing to let an overactive imagination run away with you, and easier still to be drawn into misinformation anti-science/non scientific bull do-do that is constantly posted on Tik Tok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. There are hundreds of accounts out there "Challenging known textbook science" to the point that most uninformed people can be swayed into thinking they have something special they have found.

 

When enough lies are told, it becomes hard for people to navigate to the truth, or to even be able to trust WHAT is truth!.

 

We do our best here to inform people of what fossils actually are, what they look like, and how they are formed. 

[patelinho7]

28 minutes ago, RJB said:

There's so much of this  being posted that I'm not sure if there is that much pareidolia in the world or these guys are just joking around?

 

RB

I would’ve had the same thought, but like Tim said, social media and the internet is making it worse, I think, with every successive year. These individuals would’ve sat with their vivid imaginations or perhaps got in contact with a museum or gone to a library even 10-15 years ago. Now, they are victim to their own algorithms pumping more and more questionable content tailored to them, which they then take and spread themselves. These algorithms are gonna be the death of us 

[Bty93]

First off I'm not trying to waste anyone's time I'm not an like some people are these days. I just happened across it and thought it looked like it that's why I asked a forum. If I was an idiot I wouldn't have known to reach out to someone and ask. Second of all my line of expertise is live animals and I'm into cultural Anthropology, which is what I'm going to school for currently.

[ynot]

51 minutes ago, Bty93 said:

First off I'm not trying to waste anyone's time I'm not an like some people are these days. I just happened across it and thought it looked like it that's why I asked a forum. If I was an idiot I wouldn't have known to reach out to someone and ask. Second of all my line of expertise is live animals and I'm into cultural Anthropology, which is what I'm going to school for currently. I am sorry for wasting your time but I obviously can't reach out to this forum because wiseass douchebags like to crack jokes. ( not all of you they know who they are)

The comment was not directed at you but at the abundance of similar post that have been flooding the forum in the last few weeks.

Please do not take it as a dish on you. We are always glad to help people learn about fossils (and rocks).

[Fossildude19]

53 minutes ago, Bty93 said:

First off I'm not trying to waste anyone's time I'm not an like some people are these days. I just happened across it and thought it looked like it that's why I asked a forum. If I was an idiot I wouldn't have known to reach out to someone and ask. Second of all my line of expertise is live animals and I'm into cultural Anthropology, which is what I'm going to school for currently.

 

Please do not take offense at people questioning the post. 

Some of us have been doing this for a long time, and lose sight of the fact or forget that some people are just not familiar with how fossils form. When there is some interesting rock that looks like something to a poster, it is best to ask a knowledgeable forum about it.

 

We have had a spate of some dubious claims, and we should all take a moment to remember that not everyone is a troll. Some people are just unfamiliar with fossils.

The only bad question, in my opinion, is the one that isn't asked. 

[patelinho7]

Apologies, didn’t mean to pile on at you. Was just responding to the discussion about the recent trend of postings, in general.

[Randyw]

29 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

The only bad question, in my opinion, is the one that isn't asked. 

Exactly this!

@Bty93 here at the forum we welcome questions about things from people who are really serious and really want to learn. The best way to learn is to ask! And even some of the just a rock look a likes are still cool to see! LOL!

[rocket]

We all start with no knowlegde, one as a child, the other as a retired one.... But, we all start without.

So, we all have to be patience when some stones come up with an interpretation we (as long time collectors) see in the first second that it is not a fossil, it is something else. No fossil or stone at all.

I met several people in my life asking me about stones, if it is a fossil or not. Some of them become great collectors over the years with big knowlegde. And, when we meet we sometimes think about the first steps, how great it was to take the time to explain and educate a bit. And..., laugh about the "first one"... 

 

Edited July 25 by rocket

[RJB]

22 hours ago, Bty93 said:

First off I'm not trying to waste anyone's time I'm not an like some people are these days. I just happened across it and thought it looked like it that's why I asked a forum. If I was an idiot I wouldn't have known to reach out to someone and ask. Second of all my line of expertise is live animals and I'm into cultural Anthropology, which is what I'm going to school for currently.

Please do not take my question personally.  There's just so much of this (rocks) being posted that the question came up in my head.  Never used to be this much of this kind of post.   I'm just glad you are learning.  Take care

 

RB