Talking sh*t

....specifically dinosaur dung....fossilised dinosaur dung. I get regular contact from people who are asking for advice and help developing their own glazes out of found materials, but this has to be the most unusual. I have been commissioned by a conceptual artist, based in The Netherlands to develop a glaze that is based on fossilised dinosaur dung - or coprolite as it is properly known.

This is a sample in cross section, showing the variations, seams and nodules in it. From reading up on it I believe that these represent the animals last few meals, remnants of these remaining in the fossil. Items found in dinosaur coprolites include fossilized bone, teeth, fur, plant stems, seeds, pollen, wood chips, fungus, insects, larvae, dung beetle burrows, fish scales, shells, and glassy marine organism microfossils 30 to 50 microns in size.

 This sample has been weighed and calcined to 1000C, reweighed and is then steeping in concentrated acid. I'm trying to get a better idea of what minerals are actually present in the fossil.

...and here are my first simple melt tests and lineblends - again designed to help me ascertain what potential glaze materials are actually present here. These results should tell me lot, including how hard or easy this project is likely to be. Fingers crossed.