Other · Erfoud, Sahara

Carved Stone / Fossil Art

Polished stone objects containing real fossils (ammonites, orthoceras, trilobites) carved into plates, bowls, and decorative objects.

History & Cultural Context

The Erfoud region in southeastern Morocco sits on some of the world's richest fossil deposits from the Devonian period (350–400 million years ago). Local artisans have developed a craft of cutting, polishing, and shaping fossil-bearing limestone into functional and decorative objects.

Materials

Fossil-bearing limestoneDevonian-era limestone containing ammonites, orthoceras, and trilobites

Production Techniques

Stone cutting and polishingTraditional
Diamond saw cutting followed by progressive hand-polishing

Production Notes

Fossil-bearing limestone is quarried, cut with diamond saws, shaped, and polished by hand. The fossils are real but the surrounding stone is shaped by the artisan. Some pieces are enhanced by darkening the matrix stone.

Quality Indicators

Quality

Clearly visible, well-preserved fossilsSmooth, high-gloss polish

Red Flags

Artificially glued or painted fossils

Price Ranges

Budget30 – 100 MAD(~$3 – $10)

Small polished pieces, common fossils

Mid-range100 – 400 MAD(~$10 – $40)

Plates, bowls, multiple visible fossils

Premium400 – 1500 MAD(~$40 – $150)

Large pieces, rare fossil types, exceptional polish

Luxury1500 – 5000 MAD(~$150 – $500)

Museum-quality specimens, large trilobites, statement pieces