Shale (Graptolitic)

Shale is a fine grained clastic rock composed mainly of mud,silt & clay mineral flakes which produce the fissile structure. This shale contains the small, delicate, blade-like fossils of colonial marine creatures known as Graptolites. (phylum Hemichordata). They are known chiefly from the Upper Cambrian through the Lower Carboniferous Their name is derived from Greek graptos & lithos, which roughly translates as "written on rock" as they do have the appearance of being pencil drawn. Their structure is best viewed with a hand lens. Graptolites are globally wide ranging so are used as index fossils. Our examples have been collected in the Southern Uplands of Scotland & Cumbria. Due to their fragile nature, the graptoite content of these examples is variable. Each specimen is supplied in a labelled card tray.