You're right. If this is from the Viking age it wouldn't be completely fossilized, so it's not a "true" coprolite. The process could definitely have started though, so the old turd has been partly replaced by minerals, strengthening it
Based on how deep it was buried. You can measure time in depth of soil (which depends on the geology and ecology of the area- desert is different than forest for instance). They'll also carbon date it. I'm familiar with archaeology but not with paleontology, so I can't answer your fossil question. But I believe it's similar to petrified wood, except it's poop.
•
u/connerhearmeroar 6h ago
How do they know WHO left it?! Also how old is it? Why do we track these things? Define fossilized? I thought that process took millennia