Ancient Seas, Northwestern Africa, Morocco, Anti-Atlas Mountains, Ordovician period, ca. 485 to 443 million years ago. A beautiful museum quality showpiece of 13 fossilized Asaphus trilobites encased in a large stone matrix slab. The stone is prepared to expose fossils in their original positions when buried. Unlike many multiple trilobite fossils where the trilobites are artificially assembled on the matrix, this remarkable specimen is entirely natural, with all trilobites found together as shown, in their original positions before fossilization. If you are looking for that one supreme large display specimen, this is the type of fossil that viewers will never forget! Despite its visual impact, this is a highly educational specimen showing both the earliest complex life-forms that lived on our planet almost a half a billion years ago and the deadly events in prehistory where large numbers of species died during mass extinctions. Size of matrix: 27" L x 18" W (68.6 cm x 45.7 cm); Size of trilobites: 5.5" L (14 cm) to 4" L (10.2 cm)

The topic of mass extinction is always a fascinating subject and our Earth's prehistory is filled with many tragic events with evidence of fossils like this specimen to demonstrate the sobering effects of such an apocalyptic occurrence. Some cataclysmic event was responsible for the sudden death and burial of this assemblage of trilobites. The photos do not really demonstrate the extremely high relief and detail of this specimen. It resembles an interstate pile-up of automobiles with numerous trilobites overlapping one another in a scattered array.

Provenance: ex-private Florida, USA collection; ex-private French collection, before 2008

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#166806

Professionally excavated and prepared. Original fossilized material. Matrix is repaired and reinforced along fissure on reverse side.