PaleoDeserts
Fossils From Deep Time
Museum-quality Moroccan fossils discovered, prepared and presented for collectors, galleries and institutions worldwide.
Moroccan natural history
Natural History, Preserved in Stone
From the phosphate basins of Morocco to private collections and museum displays around the world, PaleoDeserts presents carefully selected fossils that preserve extraordinary chapters of prehistoric life.
Signature specimens
Exceptional Specimens
The journey
From Discovery to Collection
Every fossil passes through a long chain of discovery and care before it reaches a collection.
01
Discovery
Fossils emerge from Morocco's great deposits: the phosphate basins of Ouled Abdoun and Benguerir, and the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds.
02
Excavation
Bones, teeth and skulls are recovered from their rock layers, where they have rested for tens of millions of years.
03
Original matrix
Some specimens remain in their natural stone matrix, preserving the geological setting in which they were found.
04
Preparation
Rock is removed with fine tools, sometimes over months, to reveal the fossil's form, teeth and surface detail.
05
Documentation
Each listing records the identification, dimensions, age, locality and preparation information supplied for the specimen.
06
Collection
The specimen begins a new chapter in a private collection, gallery, institution or carefully designed interior.
Geology
Fossils of Morocco
Morocco preserves some of the world's most important prehistoric marine and terrestrial fossil deposits.
Ouled Abdoun Basin
Cretaceous – Eocene
A vast phosphate basin near Khouribga, with one of the richest marine vertebrate records on Earth: mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, sharks and fish. Read the guide
Sidi Chennane
Late Maastrichtian
A phosphate mining area within the Ouled Abdoun Basin, known for mosasaur skulls and skeletons from the last moments of the Cretaceous.
Benguerir
Late Cretaceous
The Ganntour phosphate basin near Benguerir, another important source of Moroccan mosasaur and plesiosaur fossils.
Kem Kem
Cenomanian, ~100 Ma
Ancient river and delta beds of eastern Morocco, home to Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, pterosaurs and giant fish. Read the guide
Millions of years preserved. One specimen at a time.
Our standard
Museum-Quality Fossils
We present every fossil as a natural-history specimen, with the information a serious collector needs.
01
Detailed specimen photography
Multiple views of each fossil, so you can study its form and surface.
02
Identification
Genus or species where known, and a conservative label where it is not.
03
Dimensions
Sizes given in inches and centimetres.
04
Origin & geological context
Reported locality, basin and geological age.
05
Preparation & condition
Preparation, repair and composition details as supplied for each specimen.
06
Individual specimens
Each listing describes one specimen and states when the photographed piece is the one supplied.
Recently prepared
New Arrivals
Mosasaur Skull
Prognathodon currii Mosasaur Skull with Stand
41.7 in (106 cm), Benguerir Basin, Morocco
$11,200
View specimen
Mosasaur Skull
Prognathodon currii Mosasaur Skull
43.3 in (110 cm), Morocco
$11,500
View specimen
Mosasaur Jaw
Prognathodon Mosasaur Jaw with Original Teeth
34.6 in (88 cm), Morocco
$1,900
View specimen
Mosasaur Skull
Hainosaurus boubker Tylosaurine Mosasaur Skull
42.5 in (108 cm), Morocco
$9,900
View specimen
Mosasaur Vertebrae
Prognathodon anceps Mosasaur Vertebral Column in Matrix
7.5 ft (230 cm), Morocco
$5,500
View specimen
Mosasaur Vertebrae
Prognathodon anceps Mosasaur Vertebrae in Matrix, 16 Vertebrae
6.9 ft (210 cm), Morocco
$3,900
View specimen
Plesiosaur Paddle
Zarafasaura oceanis Plesiosaur Paddle
41.3 in (105 cm), Sidi Chennane, Morocco
$3,900
View specimen
Mosasaur Jaw
Thalassotitan atrox Mosasaur Jaw in Matrix
55.1 in (140 cm), Benguerir Basin, Morocco
$4,500
View specimen
Private gallery
Rare & Important Specimens
Large skulls, skeletons and exceptional fossils for major collections and institutions.
Trade & institutions
Fossils for Professionals
We work with museums, galleries, interior designers, dealers and educational institutions.
- Museums
- Interior designers
- Galleries
- Collectors
- Dealers
- Educational institutions
Catalogue
Sold Fossils Archive
A record of selected specimens previously offered by PaleoDeserts, kept online as a reference for collectors.
No. 01
Zarafasaura oceanis Plesiosaur Skeleton, Mounted
21 ft (6.4 m), Morocco
Archived
No. 02
Globidens Mosasaur Jaw with Crushing Teeth
14.2 in (36 cm), Morocco
Archived
No. 03
Prognathodon currii Mosasaur Tooth Fossil
6.2 in (15 cm), Sidi Chennane, Morocco
Archived
No. 04
Walliserops hammii Trilobite Fossil in Matrix
2 in (5 cm), Morocco (Ref. 18678)
Archived
No. 05
Walliserops hammii Trilobite Fossil in Matrix
2 in (5 cm), Morocco (Ref. 18672)
Archived
No. 06
Devonian Trilobite Fossil in Matrix
Morocco (Ref. 18615)
Archived
Field notes & guides
PaleoDeserts Journal
No. 01
Starting a Fossil Collection: A Guide for New Collectors
Choose a theme, start with well-documented specimens, keep good records: a practical guide to beginning a fossil collection.
Read the article
No. 02
Decorating with Fossils: Displaying Natural History at Home
Placement, scale, light and stands: how to give a fossil the presence it deserves in a living room, library or office.
Read the article
No. 03
How Much Is a Dinosaur Tooth Worth? What Sets the Price
Species, size, preservation, repairs and restoration: the factors that decide what a Spinosaurus or Carcharodontosaurus tooth is worth.
Read the article