Holzmaden Shale Collection

The Posidonia Shale (or “Holzmaden Shale”) is a famous Early Jurassic geological formation found in southern Germany. It’s is known as a Lagerstätte - a deposit rich with unusually well-preserved fossil specimens. This renowned locality has yielded exceptional skeletons of marine fish and reptiles (including Ichthyosaurs and crocodilian relatives),... Read More

The Posidonia Shale (or “Holzmaden Shale”) is a famous Early Jurassic geological formation found in southern Germany. It’s is known as a Lagerstätte - a deposit rich with unusually well-preserved fossil specimens. This renowned locality has yielded exceptional skeletons of marine fish and reptiles (including Ichthyosaurs and crocodilian relatives), ammonites and crinoids (sea-lillies), often preserves with golden pyrite. Geologically, it consists of laminated oil shales formed of fine-grained sediments interspersed with bituminous limestones. The precise reasons why preservation is outstanding is an ongoing debate, but it undoubtedly centres on the sea floor’s low oxygen content (or lack of oxygen). Incredible finds have occurred primarily near the village of Holzmaden, where you can see the fantastic Hauff Museum of the Prehistoric World.