Jump to content

OwlEyes

Recommended Posts

After the stop at the amethyst mine, we continued our way for more fossils.  We saw many camel on the way and stopped for a donkey ride.  Then we went on to a farm that close to a mountain.  The rock lower has plenty of crinoids and orthoceras.  When we climbed higher, we found piece of trilobites.  We got a few complete Phacops, one croptalocep, and my first piece of crinoids on the matrix.  All the trilobites are inside the matrix.

 

58381870_10215205863082444_2062216701654597632_o.thumb.jpg.6c0d19058e33fb23b7b6edb555d12781.jpg

 

58612881_10215205863242448_6724873575179747328_o.thumb.jpg.0f4612517ff252ad2d6ad353345712ed.jpg

 

58659888_10215205909723610_5748741316842356736_o.thumb.jpg.f56e346c53c5af8b7fbc1d008f750b4e.jpg

 

58460426_10215203824871490_6891171796893040640_o.thumb.jpg.9bd2bdeafba8c78f6af6a256d55a137d.jpg

 

58580609_10215203854352227_2253366403006464000_o.thumb.jpg.35d64f3fb0fa2873c79310f4371381d6.jpg

 

58933463_10215203666147522_7049595015680491520_o.thumb.jpg.07c2195caf0f30155869d36dffc8b336.jpg

 

58549726_10215203659107346_4055214207128305664_o.thumb.jpg.f04ae7cb4eef0eed79b1a74538e2a8c1.jpg

 

58374746_10215203660427379_870375831204003840_o.thumb.jpg.ea73502e8dd2c71a6592fb7f4f36bb54.jpg

 

58373135_10215203657907316_5346039724265963520_o.thumb.jpg.d0aa9f98a4299c7419860f1809ab424f.jpg

 

58443293_10215203659987368_7613469121509851136_o.thumb.jpg.cdfb08185a3a7d1c7aa2049882c2a9b9.jpg

 

58461112_10215203667587558_5681564008243527680_o.thumb.jpg.b84be97595219c70043ab8947ae61018.jpg

  • I found this Informative 2
  • Enjoyed 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our first stop on the 3rd day is devonian to collect small ammonoids.  I need help to identify them.  I love to know species of the fossil.  Again, there abundance of fossils here.  Every piece of rock has more than a few ammonoids.  Corals are everywhere and we also found orthoceras and partial trilobites here.  We kept 2 matrix of ammonoids and a few coral pieces.

 

Coral everywhere on this surface

58373483_10215203814071220_6771724568798167040_o.thumb.jpg.a751786b0696ab8662045f6e1ec6e226.jpg

 

The rock on this layer contains ammonoids

58378425_10215203819391353_3271845282240790528_o.thumb.jpg.801a06bdd98bd60def34ac6eeb36f86a.jpg

 

58570641_10215203664987493_2653102810291240960_o.thumb.jpg.2fb4ace1ba4374e266a46fe0d55ac2ff.jpg

 

59204029_10215203673827714_1638596792985583616_o.thumb.jpg.0451c14550a88951da3fbd4baf079e71.jpg

 

58372601_10215203826311526_8295800809069740032_o.thumb.jpg.f162d351029b82c0a8829b02a2fbdc54.jpg

 

58667572_10215203666627534_497941362788794368_o.thumb.jpg.c623163b5c938202e0e9b5a81f0aa9db.jpg

 

Corals are in every rock here

58463045_10215203820031369_2446726590881595392_o.thumb.jpg.403a7b13e963758287d88307973550da.jpg

 

58740076_10215203668467580_6277221005207273472_o.thumb.jpg.52624ea02dc7557e7f91302d857ddcb8.jpg

 

I also found a few of this gastropod.  Please help identify.  Thanks.

58831614_10215203814511231_674830153515270144_o.thumb.jpg.157e5510c5e0902930a155ac192878ed.jpg

 

  • I found this Informative 3
  • Enjoyed 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great post! Love all the info. Now just have to convince the wife we need to go there ;) I'm like you, I prefer to collect my own fossils. And since trilobites are my favorite,  that place looks like a trip of a lifetime. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Sjfriend said:

Great post! Love all the info. Now just have to convince the wife we need to go there ;) I'm like you, I prefer to collect my own fossils. And since trilobites are my favorite,  that place looks like a trip of a lifetime. 

Yes, you should go there.   There are plenty of trilobites of many different species.  Since I like to collect all kinds of fossils, I only went to 3 trilobites location.  My guide told me in order to go to all the fossils places, we will need at least 2 months.  I am lucky that Morocco is on top of my husband bucket list and so it is easy.  I made my son finished 1 math book and 3 writing books to earn this trip.  Since it is him who want to collect fossils.  However, I find out I may love fossils more than him now :).

 

And we don't actually dig much.  Mostly we collected on the surface or picked up what other people left since they all very hard rock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our second stop on the third day is starfish.  Yeah, our first starfish.  My guide warn me that it is hard rock and require a lot of digging.  But he said don't worry, if we are not too picky, people left may not complete fossils there.  So we went and yes, we found so many.  My guide told me it is ordovician.  I also found piece of trilobites there but since our goal is starfish, I did not try to find complete trilobite.  There are 4 different kinds of starfish and I appreciate your help on identifying them.  Thank you in advance.  And again, the place is so beautiful.

 

58377257_10215203826591533_1366094307898949632_o.thumb.jpg.fe802943da255908f2a85a0f63d7e0d6.jpg

 

59039600_10215203833271700_1909942544595156992_o.thumb.jpg.364342eb1186120b5f94e055439184a8.jpg

 

58442932_10215203821631409_6925601431558815744_o.thumb.jpg.b72cb99650403e6914b44ba34df73b6f.jpg

 

On the lower level, we found these starfish

58381864_10215203664027469_625679256449449984_o.thumb.jpg.cdde2013c3bdae97abd137e61ecea59d.jpg

 

58376603_10215203664787488_5967599475718356992_o.thumb.jpg.8d18810fa8340f9716e0ae11410109d7.jpg

 

58708083_10215203674707736_4732454584620941312_o.thumb.jpg.c1994a53ef19f170a360aefc4f5012f1.jpg

 

Here is one inside a trilobite piece

58381409_10215203665907516_5448669114560151552_o.thumb.jpg.4f7055d67581a54fbdc1aaea007806db.jpg

 

We found these when we climb higher on the mountain

58380700_10215203674347727_616352180915404800_o.thumb.jpg.0b9be017396e4089520da6e1166920ef.jpg

 

58033131_10215203665187498_1210516436225622016_o.thumb.jpg.bfed2b23dc366cd58666690b20c035e4.jpg

 

58380391_10215203675267750_8734879756736004096_o.thumb.jpg.c6e83001612a6e8997c364669049246e.jpg

 

58847401_10215203673387703_2566411304898134016_o.thumb.jpg.aac249cc12c48c1747d8092c0b5d6c5e.jpg

  • I found this Informative 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On our last day of hunting, we went for crinoids.  On the way, we stop at a place where people collect marble with orthoceras to make table top and other stuffs.  I bought a polish orthoceras but also picked a piece of rock with an orthocera inside.  My guide think I should not since it is heavy and it really doesn't have much value but I just love it more than the polish one.

 

At the crinoids place, since it was rain recently, it was not safe to dig, we only picked up a few piece on the surface and went the hotel.  We end the day early because I had food poisoning and wanted to go back to the hotel to rest.

 

On the way back, my guide wanted to stop and showed us jellyfish fossils however, when we went there, all the rock was picked up by the local for building.  My guide told me that, fossils are abundance in the area and the local people doesn't care about them.  They use the rock to build their house.  He told me to look at the wall of the hotel and it is real, they used the exact rock that has plenty of the ammonoids I collected the day before.

58419675_10215203849192098_5534064265679339520_o.thumb.jpg.5051859c9c0c6a93b05582e881eb0128.jpg

 

58581881_10215203860472380_7774563651041624064_o.thumb.jpg.74a3bc1b6e4657c418498913a04140cc.jpg

 

58619866_10215203859152347_1937075905998356480_o.thumb.jpg.730f897aa968e977b8faa65fec85d749.jpg

 

58461751_10215203813311201_1097766449419649024_o.thumb.jpg.7bc350ba2f20f7593110b00a26f54c31.jpg

 

These are very fragile.  Do you know what I can do to make it stronger and doesn't break.  Some already broken during my travel back home.  I am afraid I won't be able to keep them for long.

58376293_10215203667267550_7708548474693746688_o.thumb.jpg.542df065b81cc6f902124f9bbc5eed59.jpg

 

58381827_10215203668867590_132385924448256000_o.thumb.jpg.9db253d52d44a269bdf7f4942bff233a.jpg

  • I found this Informative 3
  • Enjoyed 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I end my report here.  I end up with around 50 lbs of rocks/fossils and paid $40 to fly from Casablanca to Paris.  The fly back to US we have free check in so it doesn't cost us any.  Now, I will need to find time to clean them up and put them on display.  I also start to build a website for my son to show up his collection and blog his fossils hunt trip.

 

My son has ADHD and has a hard time to focus on school so it helps me a lot that he has passion on fossils and willing to do extra study to earn the trips.  It is a lot more easy when he volunteers than me making him doing his work.

 

And my son was spoiled on this trip.  People are so nice to him, everyone treats him so special.  He made friends and went home with many gift.  He was given 3 pieces of amethyst, ammonoids, that broken fish tooth, 4 trilobites, and a polished heart shape ammonoids necklace.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, connorp said:

That large ammonite-filled rock is spectacular. Never knew fossils were that dense there. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, it is so imagine how dense the fossils are.  My son refused to leave.  He just wanted to stay there :).

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Monica said:

It looks like you had a great hunt - I especially like the orthoconic nautiloids - congratulations! :dinothumb:

Thanks Monica.  Yes, we have a great time.  It is like mountain of fossils.  My son said, "It is impossible to not find fossils here."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve enjoyed reading about your trip. The amethyst mine is especially interesting to me. Lovely finds! Thanks for posting!

 

~ Tracey

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for an outstanding trip report!

In the post about starfish, the first fossil is indeed a starfish, and the next three are edrioasteroids.  The "starfish" you found higher on the mountain are very nice brittle stars.  I did not know that these fossils could be found in such numbers at those sites.

Morocco should hire you to promote fossil tourism, as you have done a fine job convincing many of us that we really need to visit Morocco, and as soon as possible.

 

Don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, caterpillar said:

 

You make a mistake. Pristichampsus is a croc. This tooth is Onchopristis

well....  I got a few letters correct.  : )

Salut, Dominique... ca va?  

 

What a great trip.  I want to go there someday as well.  Fossils everywhere.  And beautiful Saharan landscapes.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, OwlEyes said:

You are welcome.  I read report from other members almost everyday so I need to pay back :).

Great trip and super nice finds - thanks for sharing. 

I also prefer the "as-found" fossils :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, BLT said:

I’ve enjoyed reading about your trip. The amethyst mine is especially interesting to me. Lovely finds! Thanks for posting!

 

~ Tracey

The mine is nice and as I know there are other crystal and gemstone mine in morocco.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, FossilDAWG said:

Thanks for an outstanding trip report!

In the post about starfish, the first fossil is indeed a starfish, and the next three are edrioasteroids.  The "starfish" you found higher on the mountain are very nice brittle stars.  I did not know that these fossils could be found in such numbers at those sites.

Morocco should hire you to promote fossil tourism, as you have done a fine job convincing many of us that we really need to visit Morocco, and as soon as possible.

 

Don

Thanks for identify the fossil.

 

Do you know what that big head and a long tail on the left side is?  My guide told me it is another kind of starfish.

58380391_10215203675267750_8734879756736004096_o.thumb.jpg.455d6ffcc36cc68f599c22e95f92222c.jpg

 

They don't need to pay me.  They just need to let me go on their tour for free and I am happy :).

  • Enjoyed 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, Monica said:

Wow, OwlEyes - those starfish and brittle stars are exquisite!!!  :wub:

I love the starfish and brittle stars too.  Before we arrived, I always think they are bigger.  However, I still love them the way they are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, OwlEyes said:

Thanks for identify the fossil.

 

Do you know what that big head and a long tail on the left side is?  My guide told me it is another kind of starfish.

58380391_10215203675267750_8734879756736004096_o.thumb.jpg.455d6ffcc36cc68f599c22e95f92222c.jpg

 

They don't need to pay me.  They just need to let me go on their tour for free and I am happy :).

I think it is some sort of a carpoid or cystoid. These are also echinoderms, but belong to a different class from asteroids (starfish), ophuroids (brittle stars), or crinoids.

 

Don

  • I Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great fossils! Excellent report. I wish I could go there too and collect some of those echinoderms (starfish, brittle stars, edrioasteroids, cystoids...) and the unpolished orthocones/ammonoids (and shouldn't forget the trilo's), but I'll likely never make it and will have to settle for buying some from other people...

Looks like you found all the good spots. Too bad you couldn't get the jellyfish (which I assume is actually the enigmatic Discophyllum)..

@Tidgy's Dad, do you know about these sites??

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great report. Thanks for sharing. But you say always "ammonites". There is NOT ammonites in these levels. Only ammonoids like Goniatites.

 

JP quand tu veux, on organise un trip au Maroc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, caterpillar said:

Great report. Thanks for sharing. But you say always "ammonites". There is NOT ammonites in these levels. Only ammonoids like Goniatites.

 

JP quand tu veux, on organise un trip au Maroc

Thanks catepilar.  I am going to update them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, jpc said:

well....  I got a few letters correct.  : )

Salut, Dominique... ca va?  

 

What a great trip.  I want to go there someday as well.  Fossils everywhere.  And beautiful Saharan landscapes.  

Well then don`t waste too much time , laws are changing over there , as in many other parts of the world ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, taj said:

Well then don`t waste too much time , laws are changing over there , as in many other parts of the world ...

really?  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the descriptions and the photos. It is my dream to visit Moroco as you have, but I very much doubt I will ever be so lucky as to see it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Aurelius said:

Thanks for the descriptions and the photos. It is my dream to visit Moroco as you have, but I very much doubt I will ever be so lucky as to see it.

Let me know if you are ever thinking of going to Morocco the flights can be rather cheep.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...