large Trilobite Drotops megalomanicus from Morocco

Description

Large Trilobite Drotops megalomanicus for sale. This Trilobite from the Sahara desert of Morocco is an eye catching piece in any fossil collection. The initial crack from mining runs through the right side of the thorax through the pleura and right tail front. There is some preparation marks on the left cheek and the left eye (facets still present).

These cracks are not avoidable. They occur, when quarry workers crack the rock in order to find fossils. Fossils don’t grow on rocks, they hide inside. Unfortunately in the layers of the hardy Devonian rocks, fossils appear in all directions. Once the rock is broken the fossil is discovered. Due to the nature of these rocks and the position of the fossil, the fossil is broken too. Experienced Preparators take on the task to glue them back together and to chisel or grind them out. In general cracks and some preparation marks are not avoidable and show that the fossil is real and not faked. There is no damage or replaced parts on this Trilobite.

The availability of pneumatic and air abrasive tools makes the work of the preparator even more efficient and qualitative upgraded. In some cases the use of Hydrochloric acid or Rewoquat does a great job in softening the matrix. Features of the eyes, the body markings (pores etc.) and spines can be easier prepared out of the hardy rocks.

Moroccan Trilobites like this large Trilobite Drotops megalomanicus for sale are often master pieces of preparation art. Mining of fossil and their preparation is a great source of income for the people, that live in the oasis of the Sahara desert. Whole villages depend on it. Some of the Trilobites processed take up to 100 hours of preparation.

The fossil measures 12 cm or 4.7 inches.

Devonian trilobites from Morocco can be seen in the web galery of the American Museum for Natural History, link here:  https://www.amnh.org/research/paleontology/collections/fossil-invertebrate-collection/trilobite-website/gallery-of-trilobites/devonian-period-trilobites/devonian-trilobites-of-morocco-africa-alphabetized

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