kadikoa Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 When I was a kid, my Grandfather told me this was a Saber-toothed Tiger tooth. Of course I never questioned him! And quite frankly forgot about it until 30 years later! He gave it to me yesterday (along with a Mammoth tooth). Now I wonder if it is or if it is something else entirely (horn?)! He had forgotten about it himself and can't remember where he got it (purchased vs. found) I don't know if it has been polished/sanded - just looks awfully shiny to me. I guess I expected it to be black for some reason... I've tried to do a little research and haven't found anything detailed enough to tell me anything. I can tell you that it is 6 1/2" long with a 4" circumference at it's largest point. There appears to be what looks like lower tooth wear mark on the underside of the tooth approx. 1 1/4" from the point. The root end has a hole in it approx. 3/4" diameter. From what I could find some saber teeth have serrated edges and some do not.. this does not. Almost completely smooth. It is ivory white. I expected it to be completely arched, but the top (root end) 2/3 of it seems a little straighter with more of a curve beginning just above the lower tooth wear mark. I appreciate any help you might offer, maybe just someone/where else to contact?? I have pics, but don't know how to shrink it to fit! Maybe some help with that too - first time forumer! ??? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 email the pics to thefossilforum@msn.com i will put them in this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Looks like its been polished, and it looks more like a tusk to me, from what I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Looks kind of like a whale tooth? ??? ??? It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 This is a Saber-tooth cat! It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Here are some whale teeth. It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kadikoa Posted September 11, 2007 Author Share Posted September 11, 2007 I thought of tusk first, but the only pics I found showed the tusks were hollow and kind of flat on the side. I did see a walrus tusk, which I don't believe this is, that was rounder but still hollow looking. This is pretty heavy, seems solid... Yeah, obvioulsy not as long and more curved than the saber tooth and the root end is not as thin/elongated but it does taper at the root end... Would like to see a root end of a whale tooth?? Can't really see them too well in that second pic.. I will try to google that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cris Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 It's gotta be whale... Looks just like the one in Worthy's second picture, top right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 I agree that it's a human-altered whale tooth. The area of the root has been ground and polished; perhaps it was to be scrimshawed. The wear mark is called a "wear facet." These facets are common on carnivore canines, and I imagine they may occur on spikey whale teeth. That is, this could be a whale canine, or maybe it is a tooth from further back in the row of spikey whale teeth. I don't think it could be a land carnivore -- I think the dentin of the root is not dense enough (that is, it's not ivory). Here's a pic of one of the really large land carnivores, a cave bear. ----Harry Pristis 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kadikoa Posted September 11, 2007 Author Share Posted September 11, 2007 Thanks a lot! I appreciate the input! I guess now I will pursue trying to find out what type of whale?? Any suggestions on where to look would be appreciated. We have a local museum, thought I might try there & since in FL, I wonder if Sea World has any information? Anyway, thanks for replying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NORFOLK BOY Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Hi Bit out of my experience but I would guess at Sperm Whale as they eat giant Squid and that tooth looks ideal for the job! Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 I think you must look among the living whales for an identification. I believe that there is only one very large toothed whale extent -- the sperm whale. The killer whale (a giant dolphin, actually) is another possibility. ----Harry Pristis 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Serration Posted September 11, 2007 New Members Share Posted September 11, 2007 It's a dead ringer for a juvenile (not adult) walrus tusk. It's the right size, has the characteristic curved tip (straightens and flattens in adults) and polished off outer shallow grooves. These were common souvenirs brought back by sailors/sealers/whalers and often passed off as unicorn horns or teeth of dragons, giant sea serpents, etc. The teeth of sperm whales and the tusks of narwhales are also fairly commonly found in old family trunks. Sometimes the base of a tusk or tooth can be deceiving. Depending on how much time or effort a fellow had, they were either pulled out or sawed off. You can still collect lots of walrus teeth in parts of Canada or buy them if so inclined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kadikoa Posted September 11, 2007 Author Share Posted September 11, 2007 That is very interesting information. Thank you for posting it! I had seen walrus tusks but maybe not a juvenile. You said the size and curved tip were consistent with the juvenile, but would that also explain the wear mark? I am having a bit of a time finding pics of the juvenile, but the ones that I did see, the tips of the tusks weren't near any other tooth, bone, etc. to have a wear mark? And thank you for making the point that some are cut off... I am guessing that this one was not cut and that it is fully intact except for the polishing up part? Has anyone ever seen a wear pattern on a spiky whale tooth before? Please understand that I know nothing about any of this. I am not questioning anyone's expertise as much as I am trying to just figure the mystery of my Grandfather's tooth!! He is quite interested to know too! Please - anyone with ideas, keep posting them. I keep checking back between researching whatever latest info you gave me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 I think it's safe to eliminate walrus. A walrus has no lower canines or any other teeth that would articulate with its upper canines to produce a wear facet. Don't worry about challenging anyone's expertise here, we're all learning something as we make these deductions. I am pretty sure that wear facets may appear on whale teeth, though I don't have a good example in my collection. Here is a walrus tusk, a fossil from the permafrost. ----Harry Pristis 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 I hope this has helped you ID your tooth!!! It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOROPUS Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 There are more teeth-whales than just the sperm whale! Pilot whales, for instance.And some, like Cuvier`s whale, that only the male have them.Almost all of them have an average length of 5-6 metres.It could be aswell one of this,but the difference between them are the cross section of them.I think it`s not a fossil; ask in the nearest vet or Natural History Museum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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