fossil

Fossilized Bone Fragment

Petrified Osseous Material

Hardness: 4-5 (Mohs), Color: creamy white with brown staining, Luster: dull to earthy to slightly waxy, Structure: porous/honeycomb internal texture (cancellous marrow), Cleavage: none (conchoidal fracture).

Identified July 20, 2026More fossil →

Explore Fossilized Bone Fragment in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization where minerals (typically silica or calcium carbonate) fill the porous structures of animal bone over thousands to millions of years. It exhibits a distinct 'honeycomb' internal structure characteristic of cortical and trabecular bone.

Uses & applications

Scientific study, educational specimens, and items for private fossil collections.

Geological facts

The porous texture visible on the surface is the fossilized 'cancellous' bone where marrow once resided. Identifying the specific species often requires a more complete specimen or microscopic thin-section analysis.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by looking for the 'honeycomb' or 'sponge-like' texture on broken faces. It will often feel heavier than modern bone and 'stick' to the tongue if touched due to capillary action in the pores.