Long before dinosaurs appeared on land, squid became the dominant species in the prehistoric seas. Protected by their hard shells, ammonites conquered almost all marine habitats. Over the course of their 360 million years of evolution, tens of thousands of species of ammonites emerged, with a variety of shapes and sizes. Some of them were so common in a certain era of earth’s history that their relics serve scientists and collectors as so-called index fossils – in a sense, as calendar pages from prehistoric times.
Even in the Stone Age, people made cult objects from the snail-shaped ammonites. However, ammonites, which belong to the mollusks, are not snails. Rather, their closest living relatives today are other squids such as squids or octopuses. Like these, ammonites also had a so-called siphon through which they could expel water in order to escape by recoil. They also had a perfect way to float in the water or get up and down.
The inside of their shell was divided into individual chambers that could be filled with water or gases. This is how the Ammonites balanced themselves. By the way, they owe their name to the ancient Egyptian sun god Ammon, who was depicted with ram’s horns. In addition to this typical and best-known (snail) shape, the shells of ammonites developed into all possible variations. There were specimens that looked like a spiral staircase, others that were more reminiscent of worms. Numerous genera had spine-like projections, others were almost completely smooth. The smallest of the ammonites were only a few centimeters long, others reached a diameter of more than two meters. Even triangular or square specimens were found in the fossilized sea sediments. At the end of the Cretaceous period around 65 million years ago, the ammonites disappeared from the seas forever – almost at the same time as the dinosaurs.
Ammonites: Some villages live from the fossils
Almost everywhere in the world, countless ammonites are still waiting to be unearthed. In some areas, such as Madagascar, their fossils are a major source of income for the local population. However, the big profit is made by dealers who receive thousands of euros for particularly beautiful and rare specimens. The nice thing, however, is that even laypeople can find ammonites on their own in many places. For many, their relics are the start of a lifelong passion for collecting or a career as a paleontologist. That’s how it started with those who were for one Exhibition in the dinosaur museum in Altmühltal contributed their best ammonites.
From May 16th, those interested can marvel at the unique diversity of prehistoric animals and go looking for ammonites in the rocks on the museum’s outdoor area. The following photo series shows a selection of the most beautiful pieces.