Ellen's introduction of this newly discovered fossil.

Hi there! I am an amateur fossil hunter and have been hunting fossils ever since I was a little girl. I found a couple of fossils this past Summer along the Mighty Mississippi. But what I found and purchased in a second hand shop while in Illinois, has to be the biggest and most interesting yet!

This group is designed to help me solve mysteries about this fossil I brought back from the Midwest last Summer. What I do feel fairly certain about is that it was found in a field in Southern Illinois. It was suggested to me was that because the area is between two rivers (Mississippi and Illinois) lots of things have been washed up there. (I washed it up for it was covered in dirt.)
 
I have been studying this piece for several months. Now I am soliciting the help of experts in the field. My goal is to use this as an educational resource. And to get casts of the original in museums, if doors open for that.
 
If you have been introduced to this group, please introduce yourself. And let the scientific adventure begin! I may have a 3-D picture available at some point. Thanks so much for your willingness to join this adventure!
  
PICTURE 1
Nasal horn visible here. Larger holes to the front of it show air passages through area (front of nasal horn). The cavity on the right is between the two apparent eye horns. Looks like it was an area that sunk in. The skull looks like it was crushed. And when it was crushed, it deformed the shape. The left eye cavity not visible, I believe because of the way the skull lay in the ground after it was crushed. My theory.



PICTURE 2

This is the other side of the front, side view.

Hole bottom possible eye cavity. Smaller holes possibly predator teethmarks. This angle shows possible nose horn on right. Also at top toward left a horn over an eye is visible. The other eye horn is difficult to distinguish from this angle, but it is visible.


PICTURE 3
Back right view. Large hole, possible brain cavity. Tiny fossil small circular invertebrate at 11:00 from brain cavity. Complete break in skull shown here. Looks like a possible tooth root at 4:00 from brain cavity.



PICTURE 4
Looking at underside toward front. Two almost identical holes. One is outlined by natural demarcation. Possible sinus holes. Other small holes by possible predator.

PICTURE 5
Large hole on left, possible spinal chord canal.Other holes, possibly teeth marks from predator. Looking at underside. Trying to decide what the back (left) large indentation is; it is smooth in nature.