trilobites from Morocco--question

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Alan R. Betz - 03 Sep 2005 23:08 GMT

In looking at the trilobite auctions on eBay, it is apparent
that the majority of specimens are from Morocco. I have heard
that there is a thriving fake fossil industry in that country.
The two trilobites that my neice bought for me on a trip to
Morocco certainly look real to me. How does one tell if a
specimen is a fake?
Regards, Alan

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Kokoro - 04 Sep 2005 00:23 GMT

In sci.bio.paleontology, Alan R. Betz ordered an army of hamsters to type:

> In looking at the trilobite auctions on eBay, it is apparent
> that the majority of specimens are from Morocco. I have heard
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> specimen is a fake?
> Regards, Alan

I wish I could answer. But it is true a lot of Trilobites come from
Morocco. There are some in the London Natural History Museum that are so
impressive I have wondered whether they are real.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/virtual-wonders/vrtrilo2.html

Surely if they are in a museum they are real? But then we've all heard
before of museums having fake and/or mislabled exhibits (the amounts of
fossils we have in the National Museum of Wales labelled "found: unknown
location" is shocking). I've lost a lot of faith in museums because of
this.

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coastwatch - 06 Sep 2005 17:23 GMT

Read - The Lying Stones of Marakkesh by Steven J Goulds for an
interesting and amusing take on this

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coastwatch - 06 Sep 2005 17:23 GMT

Read - The Lying Stones of Marakkesh by Steven J Goulds for an
interesting and amusing take on this

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Natural Science Forum / Biology / Paleontology / September 2005

trilobites from Morocco--question