East Africa, Madagascar, Cretaceous period, ca. 145 to 66 million years ago. A superb, fossilized ammonite of the Cleaniceras genus, the tightly coiled shell is fully excavated from the sediment and polished to show off the umber brown and amber hues with creamy white and wavy sutures. Sutures are usually hidden by the material of the external shell wall, but here the wavy formations are on full display, the fractal patterning or suture marks are an aesthetically pleasing natural part of ammonite anatomy and their shapes can help determine species and even time period of existence! The chamber opening contains vugs (cavities filled with crystals), the material inside turned into quartzite stone when water with silica and other minerals in the ocean sediment seeped in, permeating the organic material and later solidifying. Size: 12" L x 2.5" W x 10" H (30.5 cm x 6.4 cm x 25.4 cm); 9" H (22.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Rancho Mirage, California, USA collection, by inheritance in 2020; ex-Dr. TDR Berreth, California, USA, acquired before 1982

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#179063

Professionally prepared and highly polished. Stable fissures, striations, and abrasions and chips to surfaces.