Calcite Kosmoceras Ammonites

[DE&i]

Hi Everyone,

Not so long ago on one our outings Elliot and I decided to have ago at cracking some large Septarian nodules instead of rummaging for Belemnite’s. We took some hammers and various sized chisels, (safety glasses needed) at all times when trying anything like this…trust me!

It really was great fun once you get the hang of it, judging the angle, how hard to strike etc…the resulting finds where these unique calcite Kosmoceras ammonites.

We lost more through trial and error ……but today I stacked a small pile of nodules up to have another go this weekend.

D&E.

[Shamalama]

Cool finds. The specimen in the foreground of your picture looks to have the whorl continue but break apart. Was that the living chamber and it did indeed break apart prior to preservation or are they just chips from other shells that landed on the rock while you split?

[Terry Dactyll]

You found some great specimens there Darren & Elliot... Well done.... Good luck this weekend....

[DE&i]

Cool finds. The specimen in the foreground of your picture looks to have the whorl continue but break apart. Was that the living chamber and it did indeed break apart prior to preservation or are they just chips from other shells that landed on the rock while you split?

Hi Shamalama,

I posted this description below with my Gallery photo not sure if you have read it.

Preservation styles with Ammonites such as these two vary considerably in the Oxford Clay and dramatically affect the appearance of specimens, sometimes making identification difficult or virtually impossible. Most specimens are crushed more or less flat in the clays and shale’s although occasionally 3-dimentional shells occur in calcareous or pyritic concretions. Only in the concretions can features like this show ornament styles and whorl sections to be fully appreciated.

I briefly ran these ammonites by Terry Dactyll who suggested “The internal stresses of the Septarian nodule coupled with possible crushing during compaction probably led to the crack appearing through the shell body chamber”

Hope that’s made things a little more clearly for you.

Darren.

[Fossildude19]

Great finds, Darren.

You and Elliot seem to do great things together.

Thanks for posting these.

Regards,

[Beach Boy]

Hi Darren & Elliot

I have only just found this post , they look great ammonites

I bet it was high fives when you found them

Thanks for showing i love to see ammonites , any more to show us .

Dave

[DE&i]

Great finds, Darren.

You and Elliot seem to do great things together.

Thanks for posting these.

Regards,

Thanks Tim,

[DE&i]

Hi Darren & Elliot

I have only just found this post , they look great ammonites

I bet it was high fives when you found them

Thanks for showing i love to see ammonites , any more to show us .

Dave

Hi Dave,

We are hoping to get down there this Saturday...should have something to show you.

Darren.