Pyritized crinoid (sea lily) from the Holzmaden shale deposits in Germany, an area famed for carrying some of the finest preserved fossils on record. This heavy 75-100 pound slab of shale with sparkling natural pyrite measures 27.5" x 47" x 1.25", and the crinoid's head is 15" in width. Although it looks like a plant, a crinoid is in truth a filter-feeding invertebrate, related to starfish and sea urchins, and about 600 species inhabit the water today. This fossil was acquired directly from a wealthy German family who brought it with them when they came to Canada. 

Dimensions: 27.5"x47"x1.5"