AMFC-0002 IS IN PIECES! But don't worry, because you won't believe WHAT WAS INSIDE.

AMFC-0002 IS NOW BROKEN INTO PIECES: WHAT WE FOUND INSIDE 

This Wednesday, which was on February 15, we didn't have school because the teachers took the day off. So I and my friend Phaedon, who is a geology fan, met at his house. The reason we met in his house instead of in the road or somewhere else is a "task" we had. That day we met to break AMFC-0004 out of the rock which it was found at (which was a 50 cm x 50 cm square with a hole in which it was placed at) so I could study it. We succeded in doing so, thankfully. After our success, we went back to my house to look at the specimens. My eyes fell specifically on one of them : AMFC-0002, the huge rock with 4 ammonite individuals on it (or so we thought...) I looked at one of the individuals and what surrounded it. Then it hit me: its surroundings where coloured a bit differently than the other rock. I went straight on my phone to look for a picture of a broken ammonitico rosso limestone rock , I compared the picture with it since then it was confirmed: the reason this individual was exposed was that the rock broke before I found it.

The Individual that started it all

The only thing that this discovery of mine could mean is that the ammonites are seperate from the rock. So I asked my friend: "Hey, I have a stupid idea. Wanna break open the rock with the 4 ammonites around it to get them out of it?" He said "Yes". We grabbed it , we got a hammer and a chisel and we started. We started by hitting the back of the rock, where there weren't any ammonites. Then it broke into 3 pieces. We started to dig in 1 of them, specifically the one that contained the individual that started it all. Then, without knowing it, we got 2 more ammonites out of the rock. Yes, you heard it right. 2 More ammonites were hidden in it. 

One of the first new individuals to be revealed

We got every ammonite out of the rock, we double and triple checked what was left and then we went on with the next piece. The next piece was the one that included the big-looking ammonite that was only partially exposed (below)

I started by going around it, but then , after taking 2 ammonites that were also inside the rock out, it was time for the big ammonite to see the light of the sun again too. I placed my chisel next to it, I counted to 3, and I started hitting the rock slowly. I hit it 3 times, the one stronger than the other, and then it finally happened. What we saw was beautiful: There wasn't only an ammonite fossil which was 5 centimeters in diameter, but also a smaller one and a medium sized one!

The Big Ammonite and its surrounding specimens

We then continued to break the rocks that were left, revealing:

•15 Specimens

•13+ individuals (including the first 4)

This discovery was wild, not only because we found beautiful specimens but also because we learnt a lot more about the ammonites of Kestrini: First, they range not only in ages but in sizes too. Second, there's more than 2 genuses of ammonoids in there. In fact, looking at the ridges of different specimens , either fragments of AMFC-0002 or AMFC-0007 and 0005 , I concluded there are more than 3 different genuses: There are many differences in the way the ridges are built, the patterns the ammonites have etc. That actually helped so much with understanding this lost ecosystem. 

Ok, before I leave, I want to inform you that one of the three next posts is 100% going to be the revelation of AMFC-0003 and AMFC-0004. AMFC-0008, for the ones who are wondering, isn't actually a fossil (So its name will be given to the next specimen). I would also like to inform you that there's a high chance that tomorrow I'm going to Kestrini to find fossils with my friend Phaedon. Ok, see ya!