Fossils; What with the British Museum being bank rolled by BP and causing a certain amount of protest. There is this in the Guardian today - 'Paleontology; A Hotbed of Unethical Practise Rooted in Colonialism' Yes the taking of other people's property is what it boils down to, though prehistoric spiders I am quite happy to return to country of origin. It is fascinating what prowled this Earth millions of years ago, this sharp clawed, elegant neck and tufty wings creature lived on land and water according to the scientists - how did they know from such small evidence?
I can already hear the 'anti-woke brigade shuffling their feet with impatience at the Guardian headline but it does make you think, there is a certain absurdity to it all, returning to all, those museum goodies back to site of provenance - Greece hasn't even got its marbles back yet;)
If you watch the video of the new discovery of this amphibian dinosaur, which to my mind is rather ostrich like, you will note that provenance is guessed at in the Gobi desert and it was in the hands of a private collector.
Well Paul's fossils below will go to his grandson Leo, I fancied a 'curiosity cabinet' for him. I can only recognise ammonites and belemnites, I would find the long cigar shaped belemnites in the gravelled drive, and what is the fossil in the middle photo?
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| The left hand one is a ammonite from Whitby (Dactilioceras). Middle Nautilus |
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| From Morocco - Orthoceras |
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| ammonite Hidoceras (possibly) |
I was looking at myself in the bathroom mirror a few days ago and decided to take a photo, which I was going to include in this musing about fossils, but decided not to. I looked to have worn well though!
Thanks to Kathy of Walking in beauty in Carmarthenshire for identification
Weell we must have worn quite weell Thelma - we.re still here aren't we.
ReplyDeleteThat is true Pat ;). Turning ones mind to other things as we get older.
DeleteI was once given a similar fossil to the one in the middle, but can't remember what it was called. I used to have my "found on Dorset beaches" ammonites on my desk in the office, but I no longer have an office and they are sadly in a box now.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennie it is a bit like a cuttle fish. The one on the window-sill at the back is a piece of fossilised wood. I love the old forests stumps that come to light after a low tide on the coasts.
DeleteMy granddaughter decided to take geology in college to identify two fossils in the fireplace. But now she's into art.
ReplyDeleteThat is a story of discovery through education is it not Joanne and may she always be curious.
DeleteRe the view in the mirror: I am astonished to find an elderly woman looking aback at me! At a recent medical check up I was told I'm in great shape for my age--not sure yet if that is a comforting reality or a bit of encouraging flattery.
ReplyDeleteIt makes you want to laugh really, vanity has to be set aside Sharon. My moment of truth came when I fractured my ankle and had to go into hospital, could not understand why all the people around me were old!
DeleteHi. the one standing up is fossil wood. The one on the left is an ammonite from Whitby, Dactilioceras by name. The middle one is a Nautilus The right hand one isnt cleer enough to identify.
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd photo, is from Morroco called Orthoceras.
3rd photo, an ammonite, called Hidoceras, I think.
Kathy
Thank you Kathy, you must be an expert in the field. I shall try and label them later on. Just been on a journey through my blogs looking for ammonite stories.
DeleteI am fairly sure that the middle ones are found in Morocco. I thought they were squid or belemnites, but I suppose they could be nautilus.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tom for your thoughts on what was what. Have you seen Stoney Littleton long barrow with its ammonite stone on the front entrance? The Ammonite tribe..
DeleteI heard that someone stole it years ago, but then someone said it been replaced.
DeleteNever heard that, though at one point there was an iron door fitted to the entrance because of vandalism by the village lads.
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