What is this fossil?

[zelden]

I found this bone in some badlands in the North of Edmonton. It is two inches long, and a inch and a half wide. Could anyone tell me what creature this bone came from? It could be Edmontosaurus I'm not sure. I read that Dinosaur bones were found in the area.

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum. 

Looks like a piece of skull to me. Not sure you can narrow it down much more than that.

Does not look like dinosaur bone to me, though. 

Is it mineralized/heavy? Have you tried a flame test? Hold a flame to a part of the item.

If it burns at all, or gives off a burnt hair smell, it is likely modern.

If it doesn't burn, then it could be hundred of years old, or thousands of years old. If mineralized, it is much older, probably at least over 10,000 years old.

[zelden]

How can you tell that it's not Dinosaur? what does mineralized look like?

[zelden]

it's decently heavy.

 

[Coco]

How can you say it’s a dinosaur piece ?

 

The shape of your object is unlike any known one of us. Moreover, I do not recognize the usual structure of a bone. Perhaps closer and sharper photos would help refine the answers. Not to mention that size is very often an essential factor.

 

Coco

[Mahnmut]

Hi.

I can not tell if this is dinosaur, skull or even bone.

But to answer your questions:

Often the fossils of a certain time and region have a typical appearance (colour, gloss, density...) This is far from being an exact science, with much variation. But enough to say "it does not look like Dino to me". Finding out if it is mineralized (often heavy, hard, sounds like ceramic when tapped) or maybe just a relatively fresh bone -that would  often smell when heated- could be a next step. Smelling would be proof its no dinosaur fossil (and no fossil at all if not found in frozen ground). Not smelling does not prove its a fossil, could be either an old bone that lost its protein or a rock that never was a bone. I use the word often so often because there are exceptions to most of the stated properties, but those are, well, exceptions.

Looking up pictures of dinosaur fossils from Edmonton on the net is another thing to do. Are there any white ones known?

Best regards,

J