Palaeontologists to investigate 'Naga Fossil' in Uttaradit

[webfact]

Palaeontologists to Investigate 'Naga Fossil'
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK —Thailand’s Department of Mineral Resources will dispatch officials to investigate what locals in Uttradit province claim is a fossil of the mythical Naga dragon.

The "fossil," currently on display at Wat Tha Mai Nuea temple in Uttaradit's Pichai district, has attracted scores of believers and fortune seekers in the region who believe the bone will bring them good luck.

Kamol Jadrueng, a member of the temple's administrative committee, insists that the 2-kilogram bone belongs to the Naga, a sacred snake-dragon featured in Buddhist cosmology. According to Kamol, the fossil was donated by a temple-goer who purchased it from an antique vendor in Vientiane for 200,000 baht.

The vendor said he found the fossil in a cave near the Mekong River in Laos' Savannakhet province.

"[The donor] believed that the Naga [fossil] would bring fame to the temple," Kamol said.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1424759775

-- Khaosod English 2015-02-24

[Costas2008]

I would have said that these people are stupid.

But they are not.

They are trying to make money out of a piece of bone.

The idiots are the scores of believers and fortune seekers who believe the bone will bring them good luck.

I also condemn the Wat, that they facilitate and encourage these sort of believes.

But again........this is Thailand.

[taony]

Sounds like it belong to Laos.

[Tatsujin]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that's it's simply a "dinosaur" bone ... of what, I guess we'll find out soon ... nothing mystical here tho.

[Docno]

I would have said that these people are stupid.

But they are not.

They are trying to make money out of a piece of bone.

The idiots are the scores of believers and fortune seekers who believe the bone will bring them good luck.

I also condemn the Wat, that they facilitate and encourage these sort of believes.

But again........this is Thailand.

Well, I guess the same could be said about any religious person.... this is humanity.

p.s. I grew up in a Catholic family and my mother used to make me carry a small amulate that contained a piece of cloth that had touched the bones of St Jude. Now I wear a somdej pra pid dta out of half-hearted superstition. My mother would have a fit.

[skildpadden]

It is very likely a dinosaur bone and you should give it back to the country where it came from

[Rockhound]

Wearing my geologist's hat, I'd say it was a tooth.

[FangFerang]

All legends have a basis in fact. The oarfish, a rare fish resembling a giant and very toothy eel, supposedly resides only in deep salt water, but has been caught in freshwater in Thailand. I sighted one near Kanchanaburi, 100 km from the ocean. Saltwater fish cannot survive that long in freshwater, they literally drown.

I believe the Thais have a species of oarfish that spawns in freshwater, migrates to the ocean, and returns to spawn (like American Salmon) in their birthing waters. The specimen I saw was three meters long, at close range, and scared the daylights out of me -- I thought it was an immense snake.

I looked it up and sent a report to Florida State University's ichthyology department. They said there has never been a sighting before. Um, these beasties have been around a very long time, and no one bothered to report it to a scientist?

Amazing Thailand.

[KBTexas]

Wearing my geologist's hat, I'd say it was a tooth.

Yep...not sure if there were Mammoths in this part of the world, (and if not, was brought in to sell for 200000 baht!) but it looks very much like a Mammoth tooth:

:

KB

[wirat69]

Guess they should knuckle down and get a leg on. They could get a head start if they had half a brain. Perhaps they were armed to the teeth! I'll skip the movie world's puns about "break a leg". But with a tib and a fib this could be the hub of the spineless. Please don't be too serious. I do not need you to rib me about this post. Thanks

[trogers]

Wearing my geologist's hat, I'd say it was a tooth.

Yep...not sure if there were Mammoths in this part of the world, (and if not, was brought in to sell for 200000 baht!) but it looks very much like a Mammoth tooth:

3babymammothtooth.jpg:

KB

Ahhh...you found my molar...

[attento]

Found in a Lao cave . . might not be animal origin, could be a speleothem ?

Often found in Karst caves around the world.

Chemical analysis should give the answer.

Look forward to the follow-up on this.

[Tonawatchee]

Naga-hide, were it available, would probably be classified as illegal contraband, ie: Ivory tusks, Rhino horn, etc.

[Don Aleman]

Great collection, ( hundreds ), of really old fossils at any government office

[2fishin2]

All legends have a basis in fact. The oarfish, a rare fish resembling a giant and very toothy eel, supposedly resides only in deep salt water, but has been caught in freshwater in Thailand. I sighted one near Kanchanaburi, 100 km from the ocean. Saltwater fish cannot survive that long in freshwater, they literally drown.

I believe the Thais have a species of oarfish that spawns in freshwater, migrates to the ocean, and returns to spawn (like American Salmon) in their birthing waters. The specimen I saw was three meters long, at close range, and scared the daylights out of me -- I thought it was an immense snake.

I looked it up and sent a report to Florida State University's ichthyology department. They said there has never been a sighting before. Um, these beasties have been around a very long time, and no one bothered to report it to a scientist?

Amazing Thailand.

Sounds interesting but where's your proof?

[Sakeopete]

A few years ago there was a claim of a found Naga egg. Villagers flocked in to give offerings until a news crew broke it to them that it was an ostrich egg. There hapoen to be a ostrich farm not too far away.

[p_brownstone]

Clearly an Elephants tooth - possibly fossilised but cannot be sure from that picture.

Patrick

[Bung]

Simpltons. Drive hundreds of kilometres to look at a bone that will somehow bring them luck.... Don't forget to donate some of your hard earned money while your there!

[canuckamuck]

As soon as I saw the picture I knew it was a partial elephant jaw. How can so many adults be so dim.

[soalbundy]

It is very likely a dinosaur bone and you should give it back to the country where it came from

or give it back to the dinosaur,the poor thing is probably limping

[Mot Dang]

I would have said that these people are stupid.

But they are not.

They are trying to make money out of a piece of bone.

The idiots are the scores of believers and fortune seekers who believe the bone will bring them good luck.

I also condemn the Wat, that they facilitate and encourage these sort of believes.

But again........this is Thailand.

Hi Costas, you probably know already that the education and learning of monks in Thailand varies a hell of a lot. I was also going to say intelligence as well, but that would be unfair given the effect of undernourishment on intelligence in some of the older individuals from years back. Many of the younger monks are University grads, have studied philosophy and for want of a better word, ignore superstitious practices. Their value in the community is almost like a community psychologist. But they are few and far between. So many monks before ordination are just ordinary superstitious Thais, and this just further compounds the superstitious practices of lay-folk.

Thai culture is changing rapidly under the influence of the western world, most changes for the worst, we probably wont see any changes in some of the more "unbelievable" Thai superstitions until today's generation has an influence on the community as a whole.