Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: ahmet on 23/09/2018 11:35:44

Title: What is this spiral-shaped rock? Is it a fossil?
Post by: ahmet on 23/09/2018 11:35:44

Hi Everybody,
I found this rock but I think this is a little bit different and  I wonder what is this. It has a properly spiral shaped. Can you help me please ????

WhatsApp Image 2018-09-23 at 12.15.02.jpg (67.11 kB . 1200x1600 - viewed 5924 times)

WhatsApp Image 2018-09-23 at 12.15.08.jpg (68.93 kB . 1200x1600 - viewed 6224 times)

Title: Re: What is this spiral-shaped rock? Is it a fossil?
Post by: chris on 24/09/2018 22:13:37

Yes, I'd say that is almost certainly a fossilised shell - probably a cerith, which were shallow-water dwellers.

Rhinoclavis_vertagus_shell.jpg (299.24 kB . 666x1626 - viewed 5431 times)

Photo credit: Butko CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerithiidae

Title: Re: What is this spiral-shaped rock? Is it a fossil?
Post by: ahmet on 24/09/2018 22:58:44

Is it valuable or worthless?

Title: Re: What is this spiral-shaped rock? Is it a fossil?
Post by: Bill S on 01/10/2018 19:48:38

If you mean, does it have significant monetary value, the answer is probably “no”.  Much like works of art, the treasures we unearth tend to be of value to us, but create little interest on the “open market”.  There are exceptions, of course.  Back in the early 70s, when £5 was a significant sum, I saw a boy extract an apparently undamaged Aporrhais pespelecani from the Anglian (UK) Red Crag. A man watching him promptly offered him £5 for it.
A. pespelecani is common at that site, but an undamaged specimen is a “collector’s item” and was, obviously worth a fiver to that man.