Well, after last week’s impressiveness on your collective parts, I think I’d better step up to the plate and deliver something truly taxing. This one I guarantee you won’t get without some extra clues.
Here it is:
- Scale in cm
(click on image to enlarge)
It’s a tall order I know, but what do you think it is?
Put your answers in the comments section below and if you need some clues (or ask some sensible questions) I will respond accordingly.
Good luck (I have a feeling you’ll need it!)
Zygoma 
Looks like a door stop.
Nope. It’s not wedge-shaped and although it’s heavyish it wouldn’t keep a sprung door open.
Hmmm, I think it’s a lengthwise section of a whale tooth, or maybe an elephant, but that would be too obvious and the shape looks wrong.
Indeed you are correct – it would be too obvious and the shape is wrong. The shape size and structure are actually the key points to look at once someone had identified what it’s made of.
cuttlebone of a giant squid? but looks too dense…doesn’t look like a normal bone, assuming that’s a section, no trabeculae
is it artificially cut at the ends?
It is too dense for cuttlefish and it is cut at the ends. Indeed it is a lengthwise section of something too. Not sure what you mean by a “normal” bone, so I can’t really comment further at this stage…
Certainly has an air of the ivory about it, I did think wood at first glance – possibly fossilised. Doesn’t look wedge shaped, but maybe a bit worn at each end. Perhaps it’s a label…
It does have an air of ivory, but it isn’t ivory (so that’s all teeth out of the running). Not fossilised wood either and it’s not a label.
A bullroarer – the ritual communication device used by several indigenous peoples?
Nope. A bullroarer needs to be in the shape of an aerofoil in order to work – this is just a block.
It’s probably worth mentioning that this block does not represent a finished product. It has just been crudely shaped and sized from the raw material to make it easier to transport and sell.
My suggestion is that you work out what it’s made of first of all – the rest will start to drop into place. BTW, feel free to ask questions about it – I can’t guarantee answers, but I’ll do my best!
It looks like a Welsh Not to me, and probably to nobody else:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Not
It’s certainly not a Welsh Not.
I’d say a piano key, but it’s not of elephantine origin… hmmm.
It would be a big piano key!
Hang on.
If we’re talking heuristically here, and we refer to that wonderful little lecture on problem solving you posted, I have a question for you about the object:
What is the object?
(Worth a try 😉
I was expecting that question – moreover I was expecting it from you! I’m sure you know what my answer is… I’m not saying what it is until Monday!
OK. Please list everything it isn’t… 😉
It isn’t a spoon
It isn’t a cake
It isn’t a car
It isn’t a helicopter
It isn’t a table
It isn’t a bottle
It isn’t a shelf
It isn’t a concept
It isn’t a … (this could take a while)
Back to basics: animal, vegetable or mineral?
Animal (with a mineral component)
Vertebrate or invertebrate?
Vertebrate
Well, that narrows it down a bit…
is it from an extinct species?
Nope, it’s from a species that is alive and is on the IUCN list as being of “Least Concern”
Is it some sort of horn?
Not horn
White, solid looking substance from a vertebrate which isn’t ivory or bone. Leaves us with something like hoof, nail or tortoise shell unless it’s lard but it’s dense and it’s difficult to drill holes in lard.
I never said it wasn’t bone, Gimpy merely inferred that it wasn’t a “normal” bone…
Must be a bone from quite a large animal, since the section is about 20cmx4cm.
Doing well…
How about ox bone?
I suspect other large vertebrates (elephant, rhino, hippo) are rarer than “Least Concern”, giraffe is a possibility.
Ooh, doing very well indeed! Not an ox though. Giraffe is a possibility.
It’s definitely giraffe then!
I quick google search suggests that giraffe bone is used for knife handles, but it seems hippo bone is used for hair sticks. Elephant bone has been used for decorative purposes in the past (presumably illegal now)
I’m impressed. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m saying that you’re right – you’ll have to wait until Monday for that 😉
yay – go me! Has successfully prevented me doing anything useful this afternoon tho’…
Whale bone?
Nope.
it’s an elk antler! Isn’t it?
No it isn’t.
Well, I’d guess from the clues it must be some kind of tally stick, but what it’s made out of I don’t know.
Not a tally stick.
Is it an antler (or other external bony protuberance) ?
Not an antler of any sort, or any other external bony protuberance.
It is bony however and I suppose it’s not clear that it is an internal bone.
Penis bone. Walrus?
Not a walrus baculum (although I was thinking of doing one of those as a future FMO)
oh! oh! oh! Narwhal?
Not a narwhal
It is a baculum though? Polar bear? Seal?
It is not a bacculum at all.
Is it part of a giraffe vertebra?
Cervical vertebra, I meant, of course.
Not a vertebra
Sea or land vertebrate?
Land, but I suggest reading some of the previous comments!
It’s a label to resist underwater melting.
Nice idea, but no!
Ossicone?
Informed response, but no. I don’t think that any ossicones get to that size. Even on large bull giraffes.
Ah, I shouldn’t believe what I read: http://snipurl.com/rrise.
Sorry, should have specified that ossicones don’t get big enough to produce a section of that size, with that shape and structure. They grow from a dermal ossicle that fuses with the skull, resulting in a distinctive structure where paralell lamellae of that length and continuity wouldn’t have the opportuntity to form.
You’re going to rival PZ Myers with the number of comments you’re getting!
Now that would be impressive…
Walrus tooth / tusk?
Not ivory of any sort.
A small section of Giraffe shinbone?
Now what would something like that be used for?
Apart from a knife handle?
Is it’s use musical?
Ahh, seems most of the large land mammals are ruled out, except the giraffe.
But Paolo said the animal is IUCN listed as ‘least concern’ and giraffes are red listed as vulnerable.
However, that change to vulnerable status was made in 2016, and this post is from September 11th 2009.