Elephant Molar?

BSMStar · 12th September 2006, 03:10 AM

Hey VANDOO...

I'll buy that it is Stegolophodon (a Mammoth ancestor). I know it is not Mastodon.

Sometimes they use "dyes" (colorations) on these fossils, to make them more colorful and attractive. They can be kind of pale in color if left natural. The natural teeth do not have this kind of color anyway.

I have one that is not dyed. But it is still pretty.

David · 12th September 2006, 03:21 AM

Just an aside...the example shown may well be dyed, but there is no fast rule that says fossilized material must be colorless or drab. It really all depends on what kind of mineral replaces the original object. I own some very colorful fossils. Sometimes they opalize and give off a rainbow of color.

VANDOO · 12th September 2006, 04:31 AM

THE OLD POST IS STILL THERE IN THE ARCHIVES, TITLED (FOSSIL ELEPHANT TEETH) 8/27/2003 BY VANDOO. THE FOSSIL MAMMOTH AND MASTODON TEETH AS WELL AS ANCIENT BUFFALOW TEETH AROUND HERE HAVE A BLUE COLOR TO THE ENAMEL WITH BROWNS, BLACK AND YELLOWS TO THE OTHER PARTS. THE ONES FOUND IN FLORIDA IN THE PHOSPHATE MINES ARE SOLID BLACK. I AM NOT SURE WHICH MINERALS CAUSE ALL THE DIFFERENT COLORS, BUT REDS ARE USUALLY DUE TO A LOT OF IRON IN THE ENVIRONMENT. THE INSIDE OF THE FOSSIL WILL HAVE A NATURAL COLOR AND POLISHING IT OR COATING IT WITH A CLEAR FINISH WILL BRING OUT THE COLOR. THE ONES I SAW THEM WORKING ON WERE NOT DYED AS FAR AS I COULD TELL BUT THEY WERE NOT AS COLORFUL AS THE FINISHED ITEMS. THE PICTURE OF MY EXAMPLE SHOWS HOW DULL IT LOOKS IN ITS NATURAL STATE IT HAS AQUIRED A KIND OF PATINA ON THE OUTSIDE.

AS MENTIONED SOME FOSSILS ARE VERY COLORFUL WITH ALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW BUT MOST ARE NOT VERY COLORFUL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF MINERALIZATION AND CRITTER.

Congoblades · 12th September 2006, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I own some very colorful fossils. Sometimes they opalize and give off a rainbow of color.

Yes colorfull at the outside of the fossil, fossils take the color of the surounding minerals and/or oxides. Fossils with original colors are extremely rare.
I have some nice fossils myself, look at my website
www.belgiansharkteeth.be
Guy

Isreena · 12th September 2006, 04:31 PM

Hi Guys,

Talking about elephant molar on a keris check out the following website for another fine example

http://tengkurizan.fotopic.net/

Regards

BSMStar · 13th September 2006, 06:37 PM

I’m not saying that any of these examples have been dyed... but I have seen examples that have bright red and bright yellow colorations... not natural iron oxide colors. There is no doubt that some of these fossils can have natural colors that are quite striking in appearance. I have seen a few of these fossils on Keris that are a bit... enhanced. The hilt that I have is a bit pale when compared to even the above examples (it is white to light yellow oxide colors), but it is still attractive.

Battara · 13th September 2006, 07:24 PM

Most of what I have seen in keris and Moro kris have been in the natural mineral colors of whites, tans, yellows, and browns. Here is an example of what I am talking about. It is a fossil molar pommel of a Moro barong (the only one I have seen so far). Oh yeah...it is mine.

12th September 2006, 04:31 PM	#5
Isreena Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 9	Elephant Molar Hi Guys, Talking about elephant molar on a keris check out the following website for another fine example http://tengkurizan.fotopic.net/ Regards

13th September 2006, 07:24 PM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Most of what I have seen in keris and Moro kris have been in the natural mineral colors of whites, tans, yellows, and browns. Here is an example of what I am talking about. It is a fossil molar pommel of a Moro barong (the only one I have seen so far). Oh yeah...it is mine. Attached Images

12th September 2006, 03:10 AM	#1
BSMStar Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO USA Posts: 312	Hey VANDOO... I'll buy that it is Stegolophodon (a Mammoth ancestor). I know it is not Mastodon. Sometimes they use "dyes" (colorations) on these fossils, to make them more colorful and attractive. They can be kind of pale in color if left natural. The natural teeth do not have this kind of color anyway. I have one that is not dyed. But it is still pretty.

12th September 2006, 03:21 AM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,218	Just an aside...the example shown may well be dyed, but there is no fast rule that says fossilized material must be colorless or drab. It really all depends on what kind of mineral replaces the original object. I own some very colorful fossils. Sometimes they opalize and give off a rainbow of color.

12th September 2006, 04:31 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE OLD POST IS STILL THERE IN THE ARCHIVES, TITLED (FOSSIL ELEPHANT TEETH) 8/27/2003 BY VANDOO. THE FOSSIL MAMMOTH AND MASTODON TEETH AS WELL AS ANCIENT BUFFALOW TEETH AROUND HERE HAVE A BLUE COLOR TO THE ENAMEL WITH BROWNS, BLACK AND YELLOWS TO THE OTHER PARTS. THE ONES FOUND IN FLORIDA IN THE PHOSPHATE MINES ARE SOLID BLACK. I AM NOT SURE WHICH MINERALS CAUSE ALL THE DIFFERENT COLORS, BUT REDS ARE USUALLY DUE TO A LOT OF IRON IN THE ENVIRONMENT. THE INSIDE OF THE FOSSIL WILL HAVE A NATURAL COLOR AND POLISHING IT OR COATING IT WITH A CLEAR FINISH WILL BRING OUT THE COLOR. THE ONES I SAW THEM WORKING ON WERE NOT DYED AS FAR AS I COULD TELL BUT THEY WERE NOT AS COLORFUL AS THE FINISHED ITEMS. THE PICTURE OF MY EXAMPLE SHOWS HOW DULL IT LOOKS IN ITS NATURAL STATE IT HAS AQUIRED A KIND OF PATINA ON THE OUTSIDE. AS MENTIONED SOME FOSSILS ARE VERY COLORFUL WITH ALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW BUT MOST ARE NOT VERY COLORFUL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF MINERALIZATION AND CRITTER.

13th September 2006, 06:37 PM	#6
BSMStar Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO USA Posts: 312	I’m not saying that any of these examples have been dyed... but I have seen examples that have bright red and bright yellow colorations... not natural iron oxide colors. There is no doubt that some of these fossils can have natural colors that are quite striking in appearance. I have seen a few of these fossils on Keris that are a bit... enhanced. The hilt that I have is a bit pale when compared to even the above examples (it is white to light yellow oxide colors), but it is still attractive.