Fossil Hunting in Carniol, FR - Tips?

[Max-fossils]

Hi all,

 

So after learning of the inaccessibility of the location Lacoste, I was wondering if there was maybe another location nearby. On Fossiel.NET I found the location Carniol, which looks very promising! 

https://www.fossiel.net/sites/fossil_site.php?plaats=148

 

 

Anyone got any tips on how to best find fossils and bring them home? How to look, how to take the fossils out, etc? 

 

Any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated! 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Max

[Max-fossils]

Well, it’s decided: we’re gonna go, and we’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. So if you could post any tips or useful info tonight that would be great! 

 

 

@fifbrindacier @Coco @caterpillar @Manticocerasman Maybe one of you have already been? 

[Manticocerasman]

I haven t been there Max. But you should be able to find sone fossils in the outcrops of that area. 

[Max-fossils]

8 hours ago, Manticocerasman said:

I haven t been there Max. But you should be able to find sone fossils in the outcrops of that area. 

Ok Kevin. Apparently pyrite ammonites are found plentifully. Perhaps I should keep some for you, if I find enough  

[fifbrindacier]

Sorry, i've never been there, either.

[Manticocerasman]

2 hours ago, Max-fossils said:

Ok Kevin. Apparently pyrite ammonites are found plentifully. Perhaps I should keep some for you, if I find enough  

Indeed. In the early jurassic marls you shoud be able to find some small ammonites like Hildoceras sp. or Amaltheus sp. also a lot of bellemnites 

[belemniten]

Wish you the best of luck @Max-fossils 

[caterpillar]

Ammonites from Carniol are from gargasian (aptian) level. No Hildoceras or Amaltheus in this area. Looking for fossils is not forbidden. The area is out the Natural Park of Luberon 

[caterpillar]

But be carefull. In this moment, a lot of area are forbidden because the risk of forest fire is important

[herve]

Hello J know this place actyally its so hot its easy for find but the bad land are hard. J have a nice collect in this place.

[Manticocerasman]

6 hours ago, caterpillar said:

Ammonites from Carniol are from gargasian (aptian) level. No Hildoceras or Amaltheus in this area. Looking for fossils is not forbidden. The area is out the Natural Park of Luberon 

Thx for clearing that up. I was thinking those were the same deposits as in the area of Milau, I was wrong .

[herve]

You have dufrenoia;cheloniceras,belemniten,sometime shark teeth,vertebra and another ammonites etc...

[Max-fossils]

Well I went hunting today at Carniol, at two different clay banks (but both were nearly indentical), and it sure was a success!!! What a wonderful location! I’ll try and get a trip report done sometime soon. I do recommend this: if you’re ever in the area, go to Carniol!!!

[Max-fossils]

11 hours ago, belemniten said:

Wish you the best of luck @Max-fossils 

Thanks Sebastian! Your wish became reality: I had a very successful hunt! 

[Max-fossils]

11 hours ago, Manticocerasman said:

Indeed. In the early jurassic marls you shoud be able to find some small ammonites like Hildoceras sp. or Amaltheus sp. also a lot of bellemnites 

 

11 hours ago, caterpillar said:

Ammonites from Carniol are from gargasian (aptian) level. No Hildoceras or Amaltheus in this area. Looking for fossils is not forbidden. The area is out the Natural Park of Luberon 

 

5 hours ago, Manticocerasman said:

Thx for clearing that up. I was thinking those were the same deposits as in the area of Milau, I was wrong .

 

5 hours ago, herve said:

You have dufrenoia;cheloniceras,belemniten,sometime shark teeth,vertebra and another ammonites etc...

As it says in the link I posted, the fossils are from the Aptian stage of the late Cretacecous (—> this stage is named after the closeby city Apt!). In summary, the possible finds are: huge amounts of ammonites and belemnites, and a good amount of bivalve an gastropod steinkerns. I think that the most common ammonite species is Aconoceras nisus. We didn’t find any vertebrate material, but that could simply be due to our luck.

[belemniten]

6 minutes ago, Max-fossils said:

Thanks Sebastian! Your wish became reality: I had a very successful hunt! 

Thats good to hear! So you found some ammonites? 

[Max-fossils]

4 minutes ago, belemniten said:

Thats good to hear! So you found some ammonites? 

Hundreds! No kidding! I’ve never seen so many ammonites in my life. And the best thing is that they are now all mine 

 

[ynot]

9 minutes ago, Max-fossils said:

Hundreds! No kidding! I’ve never seen so many ammonites in my life. And the best thing is that they are now all mine 

 

Good for You!

Looking forward to the report.

[herve]

Hello its impossible to go at carniol today but if you want visiting my collecting it possible tomorow afternoon

[belemniten]

9 hours ago, Max-fossils said:

Hundreds! No kidding! I’ve never seen so many ammonites in my life. And the best thing is that they are now all mine 

 

That sounds great! Congrats  

[Max-fossils]

On 7/20/2018 at 11:11 PM, ynot said:

Good for You!

Looking forward to the report.

 

On 7/21/2018 at 8:18 AM, belemniten said:

That sounds great! Congrats  

Thanks guys! 

[Max-fossils]

On 7/21/2018 at 7:56 AM, herve said:

Hello its impossible to go at carniol today but if you want visiting my collecting it possible tomorow afternoon

Sorry to only see your message now. I would’ve loved to see your collection, unfortunately I’ll soon be leaving the Provence  

Why was it impossible to go to Carniol on the 21st? I went the day just before and everything seemed perfect...

[TNCollector]

6 hours ago, Max-fossils said:

Sorry to only see your message now. I would’ve loved to see your collection, unfortunately I’ll soon be leaving the Provence  

Why was it impossible to go to Carniol on the 21st? I went the day just before and everything seemed perfect...

I think he meant that it was not possible for him to go that day.

 

I can’t wait to see some pictures of the ammonites. I’ve only ever found little bits and pieces in my Cretaceous collecting.

[Manticocerasman]

any pics Max? 

[Max-fossils]

Well, because it will probably still be a while before I make and share a trip report, here is already a sneak peek at the total haul. Take in mind that all of them are as found (except for two ammonites which have been rinsed), so there is still clay and dust on a lot of them. I also still need to treat most fossils against the pyrite disease (found a link or two which say what to do for these, but if you’ve got any tips I’d be eager to listen), but I’ll do all the cleaning and treating once at home. 

 

 

So, this is what we have!

• Top-left: belemnites (most, if not all, are Hibolites dentatus I believe)

• Bottom-left: tons of pyrite ammonites, all from the same species, Aconoceras nisus! I love these! Some, especially the small ones, are perfectly golden, iridescent or even rainbow-like. Just stunning what pyrite can do!!!

• Bottom-middle: a few ammonites, I think Cheloniceras

• Middle: lots of other pyrite ammonites, a mix of species 

• Far-right: ammo-fragments (these were collected at the beginning of the hunt; we got pickier afterwards. Probs nothing worth keeping in here)

• Top: miscellaneous fossils, including gastropods, bivalves and a bunch of stuff still to be ID’d

• Top-right: non-fossil finds, mainly cool-looking minerals

 

If you want any closeups, you can already let me know, but you’ll have to wait for when I get home! I will, obviously, take individual photos of some of the best and most interesting pieces for the trip report.