Sometimes fossils can be really hard to find, and other times they’re pretty obvious! I found this large ammonite on the Jurassic Coast recently just hanging out wedged between some rocks. 🏖🐚🗿🏞 Based on how roughed up the fossil was, it must have been out of the cliffs and rolling around on the beach for some time. I’m amazed it didn’t break apart during that time as the weather was pretty stormy. 🌊🌊🐚💦 Around 168 million years old from the Middle Jurassic. #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #gold #golden #beach #jurassiccoast #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
This big old ichthyosaur vert must have been sat in this rock pool for a number of years! It’s pretty worn and has serpulid worms growing on it, but it’s still a nice example and would have come from a big animal. Around 196 million years old, from the Jurassic Coast beach of Charmouth. 🌊🌊🦴🦴🌊🌊 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #vert #bone #jurassiccoast #rockpool #rockpooling #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
A beautiful little iridescent ammonite from the UK, showing some amazing green colours that change as you change the angle you look at it from. You can get all kinds of colours in these shells, with some having almost all the colours of the rainbow in. The colours change thanks to the layers of the shell that are stacked on top of one another and refract the light different. The thickness of these layers determine the colours, with thinner shells having blue and green hues and thicker layers having orange and red hues. Around 200 million years old, from the Early Jurassic. 🌈🐚🌈 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #colorful #colourful #gem #beautiful #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
Here’s a time lapse of the prep work involved in revealing a nice Asteroceras obtusum ammonite from its 196 million year old rocky tomb. 🗿☠🗿 I’m using a pneumatic scribe to remove small amounts of rock around the shell and slowly but surely the fossil reveals itself. 🐚🐚🐚 It’s very satisfying work, but requires patience and a steady hand. It’s also loud and dusty, so good protective gear is a must! 🥽🎧 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #prep #prepping #reveal #timelapse #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
Here’s the latest from my prep work on a big Asteroceras stellare ammonite found a few months ago on the Jurassic Coast. After breaking open the rock to check there was an ammonite within (most of these rocks are empty inside), I brought back all the bits of rock and put it back together at home. Then I ground off the excess to reduce the weight (over 100 kg before!). Now I’m revealing the ammonite from the centre outwards. It’s slow work but will reveal this amazing fossil in all its glory. #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #shell #prep #prepping #shells #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
Here’s the latest from my prep work on a big Asteroceras stellare ammonite found a few months ago on the Jurassic Coast. After breaking open the rock to check there was an ammonite within (most of these rocks are empty inside), I brought back all the bits of rock and put it back together at home. Then I ground off the excess to reduce the weight (over 100 kg before!). Now I’m revealing the ammonite from the centre outwards. It’s slow work but will reveal this amazing fossil in all its glory. #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #shell #prep #prepping #shells #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
I found this large ichthyosaur jaw a few years ago on the Jurassic Coast near Lyme Regis. I found it in lots of bits that had to be glued back together. It ended up being way bigger than I was expecting, but also super thin and delicate. It would have come from a large animal! 🐬🦴🦈☠ Sadly, it was the only bone preserved and there was no sign of any other bones or even any teeth in the surrounding rock. 🌊🦈🌊 It’s around 198 million years old, from the Early Jurassic seas when dinosaurs were roaming around in the land nearby. #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #jaw #jaws #tooth #teeth #rare #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
I found this large ichthyosaur jaw a few years ago on the Jurassic Coast near Lyme Regis. I found it in lots of bits that had to be glued back together. It ended up being way bigger than I was expecting, but also super thin and delicate. It would have come from a large animal! 🐬🦴🦈☠ Sadly, it was the only bone preserved and there was no sign of any other bones or even any teeth in the surrounding rock. 🌊🦈🌊 It’s around 198 million years old, from the Early Jurassic seas when dinosaurs were roaming around in the land nearby. #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #jaw #jaws #tooth #teeth #rare #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
It’s been a fair old while since I posted on here, I’ve been involved in some (very) exciting projects outside of fossil hunting that I’ll reveal in due course when I’m allowed. I have managed some time on the beach recently, including a very exciting day when I cracked open a septarian limestone concretion to reveal this stunning Asteroceras stellare ammonite. These aren’t usually this well preserved, so I’m pretty pleased with this one! Around 196 million years old (Early Jurassic of Charmouth, Dorset). 🌊🐚🌊🏖 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #shell #beach #jurassiccoast #dorset #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
As I’ve not been posting on here for ages, I thought I’d better get back to it and share one of my favourite fossils I’ve found on the Jurassic Coast. 🏖🌊🏖 I found this beauty many years ago but only recently got it prepped by the fantastic @naturalselectionfossils, who masterfully reconstructed parts of the jaws that had been destroyed by the sea before I found it. 🌊🌊☠🌊🌊 You can see this fossil on display at the Charmouth Heritage Centre where it hangs out with loads of other amazing fossils my fellow collectors have found along the coast in recent years. 🦈🐬🐚🦴 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #jaw #jaws #tooth #teeth #rare #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
This is a beautifully preserved ammonite of the species Asteroceras obtusum I found a few years ago on the Jurassic Coast. You can find them in a variety of colours, but these chocolate brown ones are my favourites! 🏖🐚🌊🌊🐚 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #pop #popped #shell #jurassiccoast #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
A beautiful and very large pyrite ammonite I found recently on Charmouth beach on the Jurassic Coast. This one will be close to perfect when I clean it up! To me, there’s nothing more exciting than uncovering a natural treasure like this that’s been hiding for nearly 200 million years. Being the first person to ever see a fossil like this is always humbling. 🏖🏖🐚🦴 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #beach #jurassiccoast #uncover #beautiful #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
The needle-sharp teeth of one of my best ichthyosaur fossils from the Jurassic Coast. This specimen was a juvenile when it died. Its teeth were perfectly adapted to catching slippery, fast moving prey like small fish and early relatives of squid. I’m sure it would have given me a good nip if I’d had my hand this close when it was alive! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #jaw #jaws #tooth #teeth #rare #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
I had some time this week on the beach and found some luck (and bones!). This is one of the fossils I found, a partial ichthyosaur with much of the skull present but disarticulated. 🐬🦈🦴 You can see that the teeth had drifted from the jaws as the animal’s body lay on the seafloor before fossilisation. The humerus (upper arm bone) also drifted towards the skull. I’ve also got bits of the body that I’ll show as I prep them. #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #jaw #jaws #tooth #teeth #rare #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
This is one of my work-in-progress ichthyosaurs from the Jurassic Coast. It’s not quite complete, but there is a lot of the skeleton there, including a perfect skull full of amazing teeth. The next step with this fossil is to use air abrasive to remove the fine layer of rock covering the bones, which will be a nice chocolate brown colour when revealed. 🐬☠🦈🦴 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #jaw #jaws #tooth #teeth #rare #dinosaur #age #dinosaurs #ichthyosaur #bones
My current work in progress. I found this large Asteroceras stellare ammonite on the Jurassic Coast earlier this year. It was in a large concretion that I split open to reveal the positive and negative parts of the shell. 🌊🏖🌊🐚🐚 Although it looks cool split like this there is lots more of the ammonite in other bits of the concretion that broke off when I hit it. So, I’ve been glueing them all back together to make it whole again. Complete, the rock measures about half a metre across with the big ammonite in the centre. The next step is to wait for the stone glue to dry, then reveal the ammonite in the middle again. It’ll be quite the showpiece when done! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #split #positive #negative #shell #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
My current work in progress. I found this large Asteroceras stellare ammonite on the Jurassic Coast earlier this year. It was in a large concretion that I split open to reveal the positive and negative parts of the shell. 🌊🏖🌊🐚🐚 Although it looks cool split like this there is lots more of the ammonite in other bits of the concretion that broke off when I hit it. So, I’ve been glueing them all back together to make it whole again. Complete, the rock measures about half a metre across with the big ammonite in the centre. The next step is to wait for the stone glue to dry, then reveal the ammonite in the middle again. It’ll be quite the showpiece when done! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #split #positive #negative #shell #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
My current work in progress. I found this large Asteroceras stellare ammonite on the Jurassic Coast earlier this year. It was in a large concretion that I split open to reveal the positive and negative parts of the shell. 🌊🏖🌊🐚🐚 Although it looks cool split like this there is lots more of the ammonite in other bits of the concretion that broke off when I hit it. So, I’ve been glueing them all back together to make it whole again. Complete, the rock measures about half a metre across with the big ammonite in the centre. The next step is to wait for the stone glue to dry, then reveal the ammonite in the middle again. It’ll be quite the showpiece when done! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #split #positive #negative #shell #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
My current work in progress. I found this large Asteroceras stellare ammonite on the Jurassic Coast earlier this year. It was in a large concretion that I split open to reveal the positive and negative parts of the shell. 🌊🏖🌊🐚🐚 Although it looks cool split like this there is lots more of the ammonite in other bits of the concretion that broke off when I hit it. So, I’ve been glueing them all back together to make it whole again. Complete, the rock measures about half a metre across with the big ammonite in the centre. The next step is to wait for the stone glue to dry, then reveal the ammonite in the middle again. It’ll be quite the showpiece when done! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #split #positive #negative #shell #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
My current work in progress. I found this large Asteroceras stellare ammonite on the Jurassic Coast earlier this year. It was in a large concretion that I split open to reveal the positive and negative parts of the shell. 🌊🏖🌊🐚🐚 Although it looks cool split like this there is lots more of the ammonite in other bits of the concretion that broke off when I hit it. So, I’ve been glueing them all back together to make it whole again. Complete, the rock measures about half a metre across with the big ammonite in the centre. The next step is to wait for the stone glue to dry, then reveal the ammonite in the middle again. It’ll be quite the showpiece when done! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #split #positive #negative #shell #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
Sometimes there are too many fossils to carry home! I found this lot a while back after a small cliff fall had dumped some new rocks on the beach. Many of these ammonites were just lying on the sand waiting to be found. I couldn’t manage all of them in one rucksack and the tide was coming in, so some didn’t make the cut and were left on the beach for others to find on the next tide, or for the sea to take away. That’s the way fossil hunting goes on a rapidly eroding coastline! 🌊🌊🏖🐚🌊🌊 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #beach #sand #jurassiccoast #shells #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
A quick before and after of a crinoid fossil I found recently in the Jurassic Coast. Sometimes, these fossils take considerable time to clean by painstakingly removing rock millimetre by millimetre using pneumatic tools. And sometimes all they need is a two minute scrub with an old tooth brush! This one was thankfully the latter. Around 196 million years old. 🌊🐚🖌🌊 #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #prep #jurassiccoast #crinoid #clean #outdoor #outdoors #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
A couple of ammonites of the same genus and same location but preserved in very different colours! These particular ammonites, called Psiloceras, are super common in the earliest Jurassic rocks on the Somerset coast in the UK. They seem to have fared very well in the wake of a major mass extinction event at the end of the Triassic. The multi-coloured iridescent ammonites from this location are pretty well known, but I love the pearlescent pale ones as well. I think they nicely show what the shell would have roughly looked like in life (i.e., not all the colours of the rainbow!). #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #rainbow #colorful #colourful #beautiful #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
A shot captured by @foodfitnessflora a few months ago of me extracting a huge ammonite on the Jurassic Coast. I could see the edge of the shell poking out of a large rock at low tide, and it took a fair amount of effort to remove. The rock was loose on the beach, half buried in sand, and had fallen from the cliff years ago, which is important as you’re not allowed to remove fossils from in-situ rocks (those still part of the bedrock) on the coast without permission. 🏖🐚🌊 The ammonite weighed about 80 kg and measured 60 cm across, so was fun to carry off the beach! Luckily Flora helped me with that too, but it took a while for our backs to recover! #fossil #fossils #art #geology #palaeontology #paleontology #paleo #curiosity #ancient #history #collect #collection #animal #animals #evolution #science #museum #jewel #collecting #treasure #ammonite #ammonites #beach #sunset #jurassiccoast #beautiful #minerals #crystal #dinosaur #age
