I have only a handful of pictures shot with my phone inside the gift shop, which is fairly small but absolutely packed with surprising rock and mineral samples in just about every color of the rainbow. I didn’t want to linger too long without buying something — but making up my mind was a serious challenge! I also appreciated the informational signs because, while I enjoy browsing through these geological treasures, I know next to nothing about their origins. The exception was the Arizona pine from the Petrified Forest National Park!
What is an Orthoceras?
Orthoceras fossils are dated back to the Silurian Age 400+ million years ago and are the earliest recognizable animals. They are ancestors to the modern day squid. Even though they were among the earliest forms of life, this class of nautiloid is still considered one of the most intelligent forms of ocean life. The Orthoceras ranged in size from a few inches in length to over six feet! They could swim as well as crawl on the ocean floor. By filling the chambers in their shells with air they could float through the seas propelling themselves by squirting jets of water. As they died their shells accumulated upon the ocean floor, then covered by sediments they transformed into stone over the ages. Having a long straight shell their fossils have an iridescent gemlike quality when polished. These Orthoceras specimens are from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco — Gift shop note
Desert Rose
Desert Rose is one of the four types of the mineral Gypsum. Desert Roses are usually found in evaporated lake or sea beds. The Desert Rose is shaped like a rose, and its petals are formed by overlapping blades of Selenite, which is another form of Gypsum. The Desert Rose is often a dusty rose, reddish or brown color. Gypsum is a very soft mineral and can be scratched easily with a fingernail. It should never be left standing in liquid as water will degrade and eventually dissolve the mineral — Gift shop note
