An orthoceras, trilobite and a fossil shell in a burlap bag

3 beautiful fossils in a burlap bag

This set consists of an orthoceras, trilobite and a fossil shell. These 3 fossils are together in a burlap bag.

Orthoceras

The orthoceras lived about 400 million years ago and is the ancestor of our current squid. Orthoceras means 'straight horn' referring to the long straight shell of the animals. The soft part was inside the shell and its protruding tentacles allowed it to move. When the animal died, the shell sank to the bottom where it was covered by sediment, so the shell fossilized and it has been preserved for us even after 400 million years. The Orthoceras was related to today's squid and could also spray ink for defense. They occurred all over the world. The most beautiful orthoceras are found in the Atlas Mountains, just like this one.

fossil shell

This shell sank unopened to the seabed 150 million years ago and covered under several layers of sediment, slowly turning the shell into a fossil. The shell belongs to the class 'bivalvia' or bivalves. We still encounter these shells in the sea today. Think, for example, of the mussel or the cockle. After 150 million years, these fossil shells have resurfaced in Madagascar with the two shells still tightly packed. This gives the whole a mysterious touch. A shell that hasn't given up its secrets after all these years. The outside is polished to show the shell structure nicely

trilobite

Trilobites are very old fossils that lived before the dinosaurs. The Trilobites belonged to the arthropods and lived underwater. Millions of years ago there lived many different species, these trilobites belong to the genus Calymene and are found in Morocco.