2005.10.11-Prep Lab-Part 01-Erfoud, Morocco

So if you ever go to Morocco and have any interest in fossils you have to go to the Museum on the southern end of Erfoud and visit their Prep Lab. The quality of work coming from this small museum is some of the best in the world.

Pictured here (in order of appearance):
1. Very large Crinoid plate, these are generally preped with an acid splash and then cleaned up a bi afterwards as seen here.

2. A smaller plaque but just as noteworthy; this is a new species of Crinoid and is being preped by having a black filler spread over the specimento make it stand out from the matrix a bit more and when it dries they remove the excess. This is to ensure the fossil doesnt fall apart.

3. A large trilobite plaque featuring several species of animals. First you notice the huge ammounts of Selenopeltis bucci, secondly there are two species of starfish pictures, and finally there are various other species of trilobites present-Asaphus, Onnia, and Bomstrella.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• morocco
• erfoud
• trilobite
• fossil
• prep
• lab
• museum

[roamen83]

I was in Peace Corps in Erfoud from about October 2005 to July 2006. Brahim's brother was my host dad in erfoud. I didn't work specifically work at the Prep Lab, but I lived there for 3 months. So yeah, only you and I really know what were talking about. When were you there?

[ajmiller82]

@roamen83 Definitely were there at the same time. I was in Morocco from October - November in 05 filming this and some other clips I put up here while working. Small world.

Even smaller if you consider that at the time I was also living in San Jose...

[phacops1111]

ajmiller82 Thanks for the info but I all ready knew all about this ,there are several books at the local Library that tell you everything .I also have cut through trilobites from Morocco only to find it filled with a plaster type material ,and like you said they even put several trilobites onto a large rock and they are either glued or plastered into place it is a crying shame people have to sell fakes to the unsuspecting buyers shame on them all .

[ajmiller82]

@phacops1111 I dont mean to offend but I firmly believe that unless you get out there and experience it for yourself, there is nearly no way to distinguish what work is done, most "dealers" don't know what they are buying in the first place. I've sat and even explained techniques used to prep guys, who are willing to listen, much of which you'll never find in the book your referencing or the popular "fake Moroccan fossils" pdf floating the internet...

[roamen83]

i see someone deleted my comment... you assholes are scared of the truth. you look like dicks for calling someones work fake when you really have no idea. these fossils are real.

[ajmiller82]

@roamen83 yeah welcome to smallmindedness. Fossilprep is just some kid somwhere learning all the worlds generalizations one at a time and like many fools, has blind faith in them. God forbid he even go to Erfoud to the museum and see the work they are doing there. I am sure Brahim would have a few choice words...

Roamen, when did you work there? maybe we crossed paths.

[ajmiller82]

@rrritalin those are crinoid specimens

[ajmiller82]

@phacops111 Learn how preparation works... then make a comment,

When they make a cast, its a rock shelled out a bit, and they fill it with a mold, the process takes all of ten minutes. no air compressors, drills, needed, just bondo/cement and shoe polish or ask/lacquer coating.

[ajmiller82]

@fossilpreparator Most of the fakes get out into the US market when cheap buyers come from all over to Tucson and see a real trilobite for around $80-200 and a fake they can sell as real for $5... the disconnect is usually with the retailer here in the US. Ask any of the Moroccans in Tucson when you are buying and they will tell you, sure some are not as honest as others, but that's life.

[roamen83]

Have you cut the trilobites that are in this video in half?! You're looking at video and generalizing to every piece in this factory.  Yes i have worked on trilobites in this factory, and have on occasion f-ed them up and chipped away parts and have seen that the inside is real. I've worked on these fossils when they arrived almost completely encased in rock and have drilled away. U all should go, you'll learn something. W.out evidence, ur disrespecting hard working people.