Tentaculite Fossils
Paleozoic animals, from the borders of the Devonian and Silurian periods of geological time. Roughly 360-410 million years ago.
That predates dinosaurs by a few dozen million years.
The taxa of tentaculites are not known. They are definitely animalia, but whether cephalod, mollusk, or annelid, is undecided.
We found these at the base of a large escarpment of limestone. It was our first attempt at fossil hunting, and I may have found a new addiction (sigh). We also found fossilized shells, and a couple of plant heads.
To think these animals lived and died, long before dinosaurs, and their remains lasted through numerous ice ages, meteor impacts, floods and droughts, to end up here on my kitchen table, and then here online... pretty mind-blowing to me anyway.
I wonder where the next 400 million years will take them?
2 responses
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Ron LaFond said (7 Oct 2008):
I guess it all depends on you as to where they end up - at least in the next few years. What a great find! They're really beautiful. And as far as the photograph goes: I like the way you've framed around the point of the rock showing the red-orange background. It's a neat shot, Kevin. R
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Susan Littlefield gave props (7 Oct 2008):
A beautiful photograph with a history lesson as well. Thank you for your artistic gift and your informative pieces
