Before anyone could put a Megalodon tooth on a shelf, take a picture of it, or even study its serrated edge, the tooth was actually doing something else that was far less tranquil. The tooth was part of the largest predatory fish ever be seen in the oceans. The tooth was then lost. For the majority of objects, this would mean the conclusion of the story. For fossils it could be the beginning.

Fossil Driven presents fossils which have passed through geological processes not measured in centuries or years rather in millions. The journey could alter your perception of the fossil. It’s no longer just looking at an amazing object. It’s a physical representation of an era that ended long ago.

Image credit: fossildriven.com

The First Stop: An Ancient Ocean

Consider the Megalodon teeth discovered in West Java, Indonesia. At the time of 20 million years ago warmer marine habitats were present in dry zones that we have today. Megalodon sharks were found in those prehistoric waters, along with a myriad of other types of marine life.

Megalodon also produced and shed teeth in a similar manner to modern sharks. Some of these teeth ended up in sediments from the sea. In the right conditions burial can protect them long enough for their fossilization.

Then Geology Took Over

The next chapter happened incredibly slowly. Sediments began to collect. Minerals react with the material that was buried. Geological forces changed landscapes and submerged areas became land. This is why people observe that genuine fossil megalodons can be of a variety of colors.

Indonesian specimens in the West Java’s Miocene Bentang Formation are typically yellow, golden, brown or red. They can also be blue, red, or black. They can even show various shades on one tooth. The mineral environment around an object can affect the color of a specimen after a prolonged burial. Nature isn’t able to reproduce the effects in the mass. Every fossil has had an evolutionary process.

Discovery Begins Another Chapter

Finally, a hidden fossil dating to thousands of years old has been discovered. Documentation and identification are now crucial.

Collectors don’t only look at the appearance of megalodon’s teeth when they search for them. The information about the locality, age of the geological formation, preservation, repairs and restoration could help to explain what collectors are actually looking at.

Natural wear isn’t able to erase a fossil’s past. The fossil’s past may be visible in a worn-out tip or a damaged root, or a serrated surface. Most important is to present the specimen in an accurate manner.

Fossil Driven provides more than 13 years of fossil identification experience in this process. They also work with experienced fossil hunters and suppliers. Specifications are reviewed and described and accompanied by relevant information whenever it is possible.

The Fossil reaches someone’s hands eventually

People buy real Fossils for many reasons. Some collect carefully categorize collections. Some people want one dramatic piece to provoke conversation. A child who is fascinated by prehistoric creatures might receive their first real fossil, that can ignite a lifetime passion for paleontology.

Megalodon’s teeth are just one way to enter that world. Dinosaur teeth, fossils of mosasaurs, trilobites, ammonites mammoth, mammoth, and other pieces of evidence tell entirely different chapters of Earth’s past.

The most satisfying part is knowing It’s True

A replica is able to replicate the shape and size of teeth that was found in prehistory. It isn’t able to recreate its past. A genuine Megalodon tooth existed in an animal of the past, entered an environment totally different from the one we know today, survived geological change, remained buried for millions of years, and then was finally discovered.

This is the reason authenticity is so important. When you hold a real fossil, you’re holding something that was able to successfully complete an unimaginable trip across time. The display case the latest stop in its journey.