Fossils: a guide through time

Among the wide variety of products that Cuarzos.MX has for you, fossils are one of the most beautiful natural pieces, as they are a portrait of life itself and the transcendence of the life of our ancestors.

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Discover what fossils are.

Fossils are organic remains of animals or plants that have been preserved for millions of years and can remain intact or with great quality today; these fossils provide us with an idea or guide us through time to have a traced path of our history.

Usually, fossils are preserved attached to sedimentary rocks, which have been formed by the accumulation of sediments over time, and are ideal for discovering and documenting the characteristics of plants and animals; in this way, we will have a descriptive line of the evolution of living beings.

Fossils, a piece of history

Fossils are more than just rocks, they tell the story of animals or plants that lived on Earth millions of years ago. They can serve as a guide to make sense of the past.

Usually, the organisms that leave a mark through fossils are those that had an exoskeleton, such as shells, which is why it is common to find more concentrations of fossils in places like marine or lacustrine areas.

An interesting aspect about fossils is that the steps followed during fossilization can be deduced, but conversely, it is very difficult to determine the time it took for their formation.

Depending on the method of formation for fossils, they will be classified into five main types:

1. Molds and casts. Formed when the organism dies on a soft or malleable surface but is quickly buried by other sediment. When this sediment hardens, it forms the positive or fossil of the animal.
2. Amberization. Many plants have amber or resin, which helps in the process of fossilization. Fossils preserved with amber are the ones that allow for more studies due to the amount of information they provide about the species.
3. Conservation of hard parts. These are some of the most well-known fossils, formed through the alignment of many factors that come together to preserve the skeletons of certain living beings in good condition. It is common for this type of fossil to also form a mold or cast. 
4. Carbonization. One of the oldest processes for fossilization, the process was carried out by the accumulation of plant structures on the ground, which were later buried and consolidated by the transformation of their organic matter into coal.
5. Cellular petrification. One of the most complicated ways of fossil formation because it requires specific conditions to occur. In this type of fossil, the entire animal is very well preserved, but not completely, as in amberization. 

Currently, there are also processes where fossils are formed, some of which are even monitored to learn more about their formation and the chemical transformations involved.

How are fossils formed?

Within the great variety of fossils that we can find, there are different ways in which their formation and preservation occurred up to this day; these are some of the ways in which fossils are formed.

• • Sedimentation:This process occurs when an animal or insect dies and sediments bury its remains. Generally, the exoskeleton is what withstands the test of time, but in order to preserve it for millions of years, this process must be accelerated to avoid contact of the remains with the elements and become fossilized.

• Casting: within this process negative impression molds of organisms are formed; this is common in the preservation of shells or carapaces of different animals.    

• Mineralization: in the aquatic ecosystem, a process of fossil creation also occurs; to preserve an organism, it is necessary for the living being to fall into the water upon death, in this way the skeleton or shells can be preserved intact.
• Carbonization: this form of creating fossils comes from the volatile and organic substances that living beings have in their bodies. The oxygen and hydrogen from the living being are lost and preserved to create a layer of carbon that will preserve the remains in the form of a print or impression.

As we have explained, fossils are a record of life itself and the history of living beings. These organisms are known for their unique and beautiful aesthetics. They can be used as accessories or can be a part of a collection of historical artifacts. Here are some of our fossils.

Ammonites

Ammonite fossils are distinguished by complex suture lines. These organisms were abundant during the Mesozoic Era and underwent rapid evolution that produced a great number of species and genera; during the Upper Cretaceous, they went extinct along with other marine groups.

Ammonites are fossils of animals protected by a unique shell made of aragonite; they have a spiral shape with an ornamentation similar to ribs, tubercles, or spines.

Megalodon teeth

This extinct shark lived 20 million years ago and based on the fossils of its teeth, it’s known to have fed on large prey such as whales, seals, dolphins, and even turtles. It was a cosmopolitan species that inhabited all oceans, as it was an expert in migration.

Fossils are distinguished by their beauty and originality, as each piece is different from the others, giving them an unparalleled and organic appeal. Discover different fossil designs that Cuarzos.MX has in its online store.

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