Did I just find a fossil skull? [prep time-lapse included]

I headed out to one of my favourite beaches to get the new year of fossil hunt rolling, it was a great day weather-wise and it was good seeing so many other fossil hunters (young and old) out and about!
I found a really cool lobster and right at the end, something that looked very intriguing and turned out to be a potential turtle skull! I'm going to spend the next while prepping it to see what is hiding inside.
Welcome to all the new subscribers!!
Mamlambo Rocks rockhounding channel: / @mamlamborocks
Patreon for 40+ extra videos: / mamlambo
Linktree for all my other links: linktr.ee/mamlambofossils
Postal address:
Morne Mamlambo
PO Box 78018
7648
New Zealand
#geology #fossil #skull

[@padego58]

Well the crayfish was awesome but the turtle skull... Damn that's incredible, looking forward to see the rest!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Me too! I'm hard at work getting some dolomite ready for the micro air abrasion!

[@gojirazillasaurus6341]

I think it was a small lobster but it could be a crawfish

[@VincentGroenewold]

You're killing it lately together with the penguin!

[@MamlamboFossils]

I've been really lucky!!

[@noeraldinkabam]

If he killed it it wouldn’t be a fossil…

[@frankierzucekjr]

Yea I sent it to all my friends who are into this kinda thing like I am, and friends who have kids. Very cool, I hope you find some dinos lol

[@jonathonfloyd5757]

My brother volunteered at a local dinosaur museum for a while and got to help with some of the fossils they prepped. We got to watch them work one time. It's an unbelievably tedious, painstaking process. Watching it in time lapse is way more fun! Thanks for the hard work that I know goes into this content!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks for watching everyone! I hope you enjoyed the video, give it a like and a share if you can - it really helps the channel grow 😀 There's more videos on my patreon channel and is the best way to support me in making these videos: www.patreon.com/mamlambo

[@buzza2077]

Do you ever sell these? Would you?

[@stevenl.passalacqua3953]

At this point I think I could never be a fossil hunter. Every time you say "look at that interesting rock", in the end you pick up the rock that I wasn't looking at.. But love watching your videos!! 🙂🙂

[@jeannettefrye5086]

Wowsers, that is impressive, as usual, I can't wait for the conclusion of the emerging fossil. You are amazing, thank you so much for showing every aspect of your expertise.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks for the kind words Jeannette!!

[@alexandermelchers1497]

That's pretty amazing, finding a crayfish exposed like that! Not much preparation-work needed there... As to the potential skull: that looks very interesting! Can't wait to see more of it 😯

[@MamlamboFossils]

Let's hope it is one, I've prepped a bit more and it's looking promising!

[@alex_rivas_art]

We need a moa or a dinosaur at this point hahahaha. A pterosaur perhaps 🤔 would be super cool. 11 months left. Very good job. Thanks for the video 🙌🙌👍

[@valiantwarrior4517]

Wow. Seeing the model of the turtle skull, it does look like that’s what it could be. Can’t wait to see more! Love the detail in that crayfish fossil. Could almost think it’s way more modern than it is.

[@raygrange7312]

Wonderful. Love that lobster.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks! I love it as well!

[@annehathway7737]

Love the detail of the crayfish. I am now waiting on tenterhooks to see if the other fossil is a turtle skull. Then Wow! you sure know how to spot them!!!

[@MamlamboFossils]

I can't wait to see either!

[@timcooper7845]

Man! That crayfish will be an easy clean up. Love this channel.

[@MamlamboFossils]

It's a nice little lobster!

[@GaliSinatra]

Ooooo interesting! Can't wait to see what's in the big one.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Me neither!!

[@nyloaf]

How intriguing! Unfortunately just missed the live premiere haha

[@nyloaf]

Definitely think it's worth prepping, it looks very turtle to me!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Ahhh maybe next time!!

[@patricbenedetti6505]

Greetengs from Italy. I love fossils. You find the history of the planet. I work with limestone in the North of Italy and sometimes i found some creature in the stone. Thank you for your time.

[@josephcormier5974]

Oh I do hope it is a turtle that would be awesome outstanding content excellent video thank you for sharing this six stars brother

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Joseph!!

[@madazza]

I've picked up hundreds of rock's down at the beach but it goes to show you gotta know what you're looking at!

[@jbprospector3638]

Awesome 👍 really enjoy your videos 🙂

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much JB!

[@kareno8634]

HAIL to All the 'long ago' Critters of the Sea and beyond! Nothing but Excitement One finds upon the shore. Finds reveal a bit, some a little more, but others make you look beyond what known before. Awesome Crayfish & Crab - a Turtle Skull, now that's Boss! CHEERS!

[@geraldinesera8915]

I remember when you usually shared only ammonites. Now to witness your "eye" for fossils other than crabs is delightful.😁

[@terryboswell8133]

Yes, sir. I watched the penguin prep, and subscribed. I found it particularly interesting how you identify fossil containing rocks. The day after watching, I found a rock that looked strikingly like one you picked up, only it was stuck on a pillar of a building! The owners are having it prepped by a local paleontologist!! It was an actual fossil!!! I'll let you know what it is/was!!

[@ashleyjones7375]

Another good find. Fingers crossed you are correct. Looking forward to full prep vid.

[@nickjamesdetecting]

You were right lol! The penguin video got me pulled in! I love fossils really finding anything amazing outside. The work you do to the fossils is AMAZING! That has to take some serious patience and dedication! So glad you do it and share the whole experience cause I myself donot have that kind of patience lol! So thank you and keep kicking butt on those fossils!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much Nick! It's so awesome that fossil lovers from all over the world can watch videos together 😀

[@respectanimals2]

I’m excited, can’t wait to see what it is , great work , loving the content , peace ✌️

[@joshuajones9035]

I hope we get some updates on this piece! its incredible!!!!

[@Bothriolepis]

I agree on the turtle skull hypothesis. Must have been a massive turtle tho.

[@amandathurston2720]

I’m hoping it’s a sea turtle 🐢 you’ve definitely put in the time and deserve one!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Amanda! I hope so too!

[@ayatoshad]

Thank you for sharing your process with us! It's so exciting to watch your process of prepping something mysterious. I also like the comparison of the fossils from the day you found them until you finish the prep!

[@allegg8804]

Fingers crossed here in CO, USA. I wish it turns out to be a turtle for you. Thank you for doing all the work to make both the fossil and the vid.

[@Fisolovagem]

Very interesting! You make it seem easy to find them

[@pepper684]

I found you long ago, before the penguin. but over time I lost your channel.. but the penguin helped me find it again!

[@sueparras6028]

Can't wait to see what it is! Great start to a new year! ✌🇨🇦

[@largent45]

That is fantastic! Oh a turtle skull would be so awesome! Just amazing! I cant wait to find out! Best of luck!

[@MamlamboFossils]

I hope it is inside there!!!

[@pastmasters9591]

I just love your channel!!! How you transition into cool music while you prep!!! Please keep it up!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahaha that music always makes me want to prep now when I hear it

[@vishwaratna]

Nice channel... I love watching it when I want to relax. Keep up the good work going on my mate.... Already subscribed ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@aiSleepDeprived]

Very exciting!!! So keen to see your progress!

[@garnettoll9317]

Wow - that is awesome! I have been showing my homeschool kiddos some of your videos. Some of them are hooked!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Yay!! That's so awesome, let me know if they have questions!

[@saerbhreathach540]

A turtle skull would be really neat!! Here's hoping!! 😊👍

[@13Odrade]

Yey nice ! Will you prep a little the crayfish too ? What a great start of 2023 !

[@OMtNI]

Yep, fossils are super interesting and exciting. I had no choice but to subscribe!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Yay!!

[@iamlalapalooza]

wow. looks like i found this just in the nick of time to see your new season. this is fascinating!

[@Lilith-Rose]

I was excited from the initial symmetry, my first thoughts before you started prepping would have been vertebrae but seeing more that's obviously not the case. A turtle skull would be awesome of course but I must say I have my fingers crossed for seal given the size and location. Either way another stunning find from beautiful nz to make me jealous over here in the uk haha

[@MamlamboFossils]

I'm hoping it is a skull! The texture is very strange though, and apparently turtles can have something like that!

[@Lilith-Rose]

@@MamlamboFossils being reptiles a turtle skull having slightly different bone structure wouldn't be surprising, however I'm sure I have seen more fibrous bone structure on mammal skulls too, especially around the muscle attachment points at the back, but maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part. I'm with you on skull though, you can even see the orbital arches starting to come through, and combining that with the symmetry both in shape and in texture there aren't many other things it could reasonably be

[@jackicomber8534]

I really enjoy the prep work ....i need more!

[@Siseja]

Prepping fossils like this looks so soothing. I wanna try sometime

[@lukasmuller4434]

I'd love to see a prep of that crayfish! (Or to prep it on my own)

[@wdwerker]

When I was a teen in boy Boy Scouts we assisted the Park Rangers in protecting the loggerhead turtles coming in to nest. Stayed up all night watching them come up the beach and dig nests. That was 50 years ago so hopefully some of those eggs are now mature nesting adults.

[@HabitualJoker]

Just discovered your channel. Awesome find! Subscribed and diving into your other vids now!

[@MamlamboFossils]

That's awesome!! Thanks so much!

[@johnfloydman7735]

How cool would that be .... here's hoping 🙏🙏💀

[@MamlamboFossils]

Let's hope it gets revealed soon!

[@davelahoud1256]

Welcome to 2023 and thanks! Love the voice mate - you could get into voice work

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahah imagine that 😀

[@MyAdventurr]

Subbed from the penguin vid! Awesome that content is created like this. Always wondered how these fossils go about. Very cool to see

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks for subbing! I hope you enjoy the other videos as well!

[@Ninjafossils]

Awesome find as usual. Do you know if any of the specimens you have loaned out are being described in a paper coming soon?

[@MamlamboFossils]

Apparently some might come out next year!

[@larrybarnes3920]

Thoroughly enjoyed this, as always. 👍👍

[@MamlamboFossils]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@G00DBYEP0RKPIE]

Not sure how I stumbled across your videos but I'm hooked! Love the videos, im from the Wairarapa and love all sorts of history, been metal detecting last couple of years and hooked on that with the wife, but now I want to go out the coast and look for fossils. Haha Keep up the cool work 👍

[@MamlamboFossils]

Awesome! I metal detect as well, but not as much as I used to 😀

[@dandalf6256]

Jemaine Clement doing the narration is great.

[@meg2831]

Man you find the absolute coolest stuff!

[@renegranit240]

actually the first youtubers channel i visit from shorts.

[@bobm5500]

Yes another great find well done , Would you pleas show more of you chipping away at the rock exposing the fossil , trying to guess what it is can get me hanging on the edge of my seat .

[@MamlamboFossils]

I hope it is a turtle skull!

[@skoitch]

I hope it’s soon cause it’s just mean to leave us unsure! Great video

[@lordtachanka80]

Great find!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks!

[@peperando8733]

Can't wait to see this one finished!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Me neither!!

[@TV-tq5ed]

Cool! @3:43 what kind of air hammer is that? or is that a die grinder? I carve Indiana Limestone mostly. Can't wait to see more of your "carving" unfold! - cheers

[@MamlamboFossils]

It's called an air scribe, have a look at the Chicago Pneumatic CP9361 - it's a very popular model.

[@TV-tq5ed]

@@MamlamboFossils That looks like the small one. Aren't you using 2 different tools? One of my old 1" inline masons air hammers has locking non turning & non releasing chisels. There is also a teeny tiny Cuturi air hammer that is similar with carbide chisels, locking but they do turn. 😃

[@Striggly]

Turtle fossil, thats very cool :)

[@Ontario_Rockhound]

Very cool, I can kind actually see that bone from a skull especially when comparing it to that 3rd model!

[@MamlamboFossils]

I hope it's inside there!!!!

[@rossgraveley]

That some amazing finds

[@Dynotop1a]

Wow, I was thinking to myself it might be a turtle skull and literally the next second you mentioned that as a candidate. Would be a very cool find if so! I have a modern sea turtle skull which is partially what gave me the idea, but it also makes sense for the time and place those concretions preserve. The shape and texture definitely seem to match, but I guess we’ll just see what it is with some more prep! That big scribe is probably pretty nerve-wracking to use, though. I love your videos.

[@MamlamboFossils]

Yeah, I only use the big scribe when I'm confident there is no bone around 😀

[@suerobertson5132]

Great spotting 🦘🦘

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Sue!

[@mojolycan2148]

Vary cool find world like to see you do the prep on the crayfish also

[@MamlamboFossils]

I'll give it a go

[@wumbleisthebest3270]

Damn what a cliffhanger! Fingers crossed.🤞

[@pamelasplace7429]

This is so exciting!!!

[@googleuser-rr9wr]

Man you are so lucky to have the fossil beds to collect from. I live in California and have found concretions that I need to show you.

[@mrutherford8590]

You have a good eye for finding this stuff

[@dianadelahaye7660]

Very cool.

[@micktepolt6276]

that crawdad is cool looks good even now ,....it would be far out if that bone turned out to be a skull ,,,May the force be with you ! 🐢🦖🐳🦂

[@MamlamboFossils]

I really hope it is one!!

[@albereddi]

got here due to the penguin video aswell ☺ as a child i wanted to become an archeologist, so i could dig out dinosaurs. looking forward to your upcoming content. greetings from germany 😊

[@MamlamboFossils]

Yay!! Welcome aboard! I'm doing it as a hobby and Germany has amazing products for prepping fossils, look at haufwerk.com

[@sherafrazier]

I’m giddy with anticipation!

[@blisteringbarnaclesmagnets6364]

Very cool 👍🧲⚓️

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much!!

[@TheBrokenRat]

Nice man great to see a fellow kiwi out having fun in nature

[@kaleoariola]

Cant wait for the final reveal!

[@Robin-rn7ip]

Can't wait for mote on that skull!

[@exzendar2523]

Turtelskull!!Turteldkull!!!TURTELSKULL!!!!🤞🤞🤞

[@MamlamboFossils]

I hope so!!

[@damiandighton5199]

I was thinking that looks like a turtle skull just as you said it. Very cool

[@MamlamboFossils]

Good eye you have there!!!

[@SCWONGAWAM]

very nice video 💖💖💖👍👍👍👍

[@lawrencebeaulieu9242]

I've been watching you for a while now and I really enjoy watching all your hard work. I've found quite a few fossil carbs over the years but never thought of doing what you do. I think I'm going to give it a try. Would you please tell me what kind of acid to use for the prep. Thanks

[@Dran01]

Just found your channel and I'm glad I did

[@MamlamboFossils]

Yay! Me too!

[@mutt3162]

Oh dang!!! I hope it's the turtle 🐢

[@MamlamboFossils]

Me too!!

[@mutt3162]

@@MamlamboFossils I can't wait to see.

[@Kirsten._._]

Wow, that would be one big turtle!

[@MamlamboFossils]

It would be!!

[@riverAmazonNZ]

Exciting! Turtle time!

[@angiemitchell5316]

Hi I am a fellow rock hound and I have tons of fossils. Where I live there isn't anyone who can tell me anything about what kind of fossils they are can you possibly help, you are very knowledgeable and really know what your talking about. If you could either recommend someone or you yourself help me identify what they are I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your time and happy hunting.

[@TheAlastairBrown]

I live in Hawkes Bay - there's an area near Cape Kidnappers where there's big whale bones in the rocks, and the rounded little boulders in the area are very similar, and the areas look remarkably similar too. I've never heard of concretions before, or that they can contain fossils, but you channel has got me thinking to go and have a look. Ialso got in touch with the people that run the hut in famous "Dinosaur Creek", we might have a trip up there too. Do you know anything about whether these concretions exist at the Cape Kidnapper cliffs? Other than your channel, I know very little about what I should be looking for. Cheers!

[@seandoyle6688]

Wicked cool!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks!

[@ravenraven964]

At this point you should probably consider getting a mamlambo tattoo on your hand to prevent theft

[@MamlamboFossils]

Hahahahah love that!

[@ravenraven964]

Put it up for a vote in community mybe it isn't such a bad idea. Also are we going to see the lobster preped ? Id love me some tasty prehistoric lobster

[@beckysmith3660]

A skull!? Soo cool

[@pixelsmith6998]

Can you show video of tool set what are you using to clean and crave the fossils out from rocks. Also what tools you would suggest for starters. If you all ready have video, can someone point me to right direction, thanks for your videos.

[@MamlamboFossils]

I'll make a video on this 😀

[@seatroutking7555]

Great job and content what’s the solution you place the rocks in, I can’t wait for the crayfish one

[@SpikeNLFS]

Hi Morne, checking in from the Netherlands Europe. I really enjoy your content and I wish that we had the posibility to find fossils in such a way over here in the Netherlands. Unfortunately that is not the case. :(

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks so much Spike!!

[@MarciaLeeful]

More beach videos!!!

[@MamlamboFossils]

I have so many already!

[@Kelsmith2]

Been binging your channel the last few days! Do you ever sell any of your finds?

[@MamlamboFossils]

I don't sell any, but you can download and print my fossils on Sketchfab.com

[@jaynehorn151]

Don’t be slow like a tortoise in exposing that skull. May your airscribe glide quickly in exposing that mystery in the rock!

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks Jayne!

[@LauraMarie_LUV1ANO]

Hi I'm new here, I just subscribed. How I want to be you finding all those treasures 🤩

[@MamlamboFossils]

Thanks for subbing!

[@lois4329]

Hi ya, don’t you just wish it could be picked off like plaster sometimes 😂 hope it is what you think it might be 👍 cheers

[@MamlamboFossils]

That would be so easy!! I'm hoping for that turtle skull!