Fossil Skull

[staceycurry8659]

Hello. I discovered this after the hurricane in a local creek. I'm at a loss on identification.

NW Georgia.

Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Fossildude19]

This looks like a modern skull, rather than a fossil skull. 

Is it fragile, and soft, or hard like a rock?

 

If you hold a flame to it, does it burn, or smell like burnt hair?

That would indicate that this is modern, rather than a fossil.

Maybe turtle or fish?

 

[staceycurry8659]

You are correct and I should've been more precise. It's not a fossil...it's very delicate. However, it was found approximately 25 ft from a confirmed Pleistocene bone bed.

 

Snapping turtle skull was my first thought but after research it doesn't match up with modern animals. 

 

I'm at a loss with the ID.

[Fossildude19]

2 hours ago, staceycurry8659 said:

You are correct and I should've been more precise. It's not a fossil...it's very delicate. However, it was found approximately 25 ft from a confirmed Pleistocene bone bed.

 

Snapping turtle skull was my first thought but after research it doesn't match up with modern animals. 

 

I'm at a loss with the ID.

 

Location is indicative, but not necessarily absolutely correct. (Being found NEAR a bonebed.)  Was this found loose in the creek, or partially buried near the known bonebed?

 

It could be that the breakage seen is more extensive, and that is why it doesn't seem to match anything it superficially looks like.

I think it is part of a skull, I just don't know what from.  Could be part of a larger skull, ... deer, coyote, racoon,  ... ???  etc.

 

I think the burn test will be necessary to rule out that it is modern.

What is the size of this item?

[ClearLake]

This is an odd one, maybe due to the degree of wear and tear on it (and the fact that >75% is missing).  Based on the size (relative to that pop can), broad expanse between the eyes, and what I think are elongated supraorbital foramen (1st and 2nd pictures, far left), I think this is a deer or some cervid.  Its the top back part of the skull.  In the last picture, the backs/tops of the eye sockets are clearly visible.  Is that a bullet hole inside the lighter area in the first three pictures, looks like one?