Ancient Seas & North America, United States, Pennsylvania, St. Clair, Carboniferous Period, ca. 358.9 to 298.9 million years old. A fascinating pair of slate matrices that contain fossilized ferns and prehistoric crinoids. The ferns are from what was once a primordial wetland, where plants were preserved in the mud in which they grew. The water and silt would quickly cover the plants before they had a chance to decay and the ferns would slowly fossilize. The white material is pyrophyllite - a mineral that has replaced some of the organic matter during the process - that contrasts nicely with the darker slate. The other matrix contains the marine crinoids with branching arms and stem fragments. In life, these crinoids had a mouth on their top surface surrounded by feeding arms, giving them a waving, moving effect even here, frozen in stone. Despite this plant-like appearance, crinoids are actually sea creatures, which include starfish and sea urchins. The stems would anchor them to the sea floor and can be seen preserved in several of the examples here. The level of preserved biological detail on both fossils is remarkable! Size of crinoid matrix: 14" L x 7" W x 1.5" H (35.6 cm x 17.8 cm x 3.8 cm); fern matrix: 14" L x 11" W x 1" H (35.6 cm x 27.9 cm x 2.5 cm)

Display stand shown in photos is for photography purposes only.

Provenance: ex-Stein collection, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA, acquired prior to 2010

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#164799

Crinoid is very good, some minor losses to stems and arms. Wonderful details preserved in the branches. Chips to slate matrix on ferns. Otherwise intact and a large size for both with multiple fossils preserved in the stone.