#Conulus fossil

[uk-fossils]

Fossil Flint Echinoid Conulus sp. (Sea Urchin, Shepherd's Crown) – Cretaceous Chalk, Seaton Devon UK – Authentic British Fossil with Certificate

This listing is for a beautifully preserved Fossil Flint Echinoid from the genus Conulus, colloquially known as a Shepherd’s Crown due to its distinctive pentagonal, crown-like shape. This fossil dates back to the Cretaceous Period (~145–66 million years ago) and was unearthed from the famous Cretaceous Chalk beds of Seaton, Devon, UK.

Conulus is an extinct genus of echinoid (sea urchin), a class of marine animals related to starfish and sea cucumbers. Echinoids once thrived on the seabed of warm, shallow seas that covered much of Europe during the Cretaceous. Over time, the silica from seawater replaced the original calcite shell, preserving the fossil within a flint nodule, often giving it a smooth and shiny appearance with excellent detail.

These echinoids have a rounded, dome-like test (shell) with fine ambulacral grooves and characteristic five-point symmetry—a key identifying feature of echinoderms. The name "Shepherd’s Crown" comes from the fossil’s shape, which resembles traditional shepherd headwear.

This specimen is part of a genuine British fossil heritage, ideal for collectors, educators, and nature enthusiasts alike.

Your specimen was discovered by our own team members Alister and Alison on 24 March 2025, and has been carefully cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to ensure both its beauty and preservation.

Item Details:

Name: Fossil Flint Echinoid (Shepherd's Crown)

Genus: Conulus sp.

Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Age: Cretaceous Period

Location Found: Seaton, Devon, UK

Geological Formation: Cretaceous Chalk

Scale Reference: Scale cube = 1cm (please see photo for full sizing)

Certificate of Authenticity: Included

ACTUAL AS SEEN: The image shows the exact specimen you will receive. Every fossil in our collection is hand-selected and professionally photographed for full transparency.

Please Note:

Some fossils may be gently propped for photography.

Colour may vary slightly due to lighting and device displays.

Measurements are approximate due to natural fossil shapes.

Once this item is sold, the listing will be updated with a new, carefully selected specimen.

100% Genuine Fossil – Professionally Selected – Certificate of Authenticity Included

[brightonmuseumlab]

Herbert Samuel Toms, one of Brighton Museum’s most influential curators, was a keen folklorist. In his 42 years as the museum’s Curator of Archaeology, he amassed a fascinating collection of ‘lucky stones’ and research regarding their use.

This photograph was catalogued, digitised and repacked in Brighton Museum’s MuseumLab today. Captioned ‘Photograph of “Shepherds’ Crowns” on window-sill of cottage at Patching near Worthing’, it displays one such custom that was still practised across southern England during Toms’s lifetime. Shepherds’ crowns are ornate conically-shaped fossil sea urchins that include species of Micraster, Echinocorys and Conulus. Often found in chalky soils, they would be ploughed up by farm labourers and placed on the windowsills of houses, bringing good luck to their inhabitants.

[uk-fossils]

Fossil Flint Echinoid Conulus sp. (Sea Urchin, Shepherd's Crown) – Cretaceous Chalk, Seaton Devon UK – Authentic British Fossil with Certificate

This listing is for a beautifully preserved Fossil Flint Echinoid from the genus Conulus, colloquially known as a Shepherd’s Crown due to its distinctive pentagonal, crown-like shape. This fossil dates back to the Cretaceous Period (~145–66 million years ago) and was unearthed from the famous Cretaceous Chalk beds of Seaton, Devon, UK.

Conulus is an extinct genus of echinoid (sea urchin), a class of marine animals related to starfish and sea cucumbers. Echinoids once thrived on the seabed of warm, shallow seas that covered much of Europe during the Cretaceous. Over time, the silica from seawater replaced the original calcite shell, preserving the fossil within a flint nodule, often giving it a smooth and shiny appearance with excellent detail.

These echinoids have a rounded, dome-like test (shell) with fine ambulacral grooves and characteristic five-point symmetry—a key identifying feature of echinoderms. The name "Shepherd’s Crown" comes from the fossil’s shape, which resembles traditional shepherd headwear.

This specimen is part of a genuine British fossil heritage, ideal for collectors, educators, and nature enthusiasts alike.

Your specimen was discovered by our own team members Alister and Alison on 24 March 2025, and has been carefully cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to ensure both its beauty and preservation.

Item Details:

Name: Fossil Flint Echinoid (Shepherd's Crown)

Genus: Conulus sp.

Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Age: Cretaceous Period

Location Found: Seaton, Devon, UK

Geological Formation: Cretaceous Chalk

Scale Reference: Scale cube = 1cm (please see photo for full sizing)

Certificate of Authenticity: Included

ACTUAL AS SEEN: The image shows the exact specimen you will receive. Every fossil in our collection is hand-selected and professionally photographed for full transparency.

Please Note:

Some fossils may be gently propped for photography.

Colour may vary slightly due to lighting and device displays.

Measurements are approximate due to natural fossil shapes.

Once this item is sold, the listing will be updated with a new, carefully selected specimen.

100% Genuine Fossil – Professionally Selected – Certificate of Authenticity Included

[uk-fossils]

Fossil Flint Echinoid (Shepherd’s Crown) – Cretaceous Chalk, Seaford Head, Sussex UK – British Sea Urchin Fossil with Certificate

This listing features a genuine Fossil Flint Echinoid, often affectionately referred to as a "Shepherd’s Crown", collected from the Cretaceous Chalk deposits of Seaford Head, Sussex, UK. These iconic echinoid fossils are preserved in flint—a result of millions of years of mineral replacement after the creature’s death on the seabed.

The chalk cliffs of Seaford Head are part of the Upper Cretaceous sequence of southern England, dating back approximately 100 to 66 million years ago. The echinoid species, most likely within the genus Conulus or Micraster, were marine invertebrates related to modern sea urchins. Over time, the original calcite skeletons were dissolved and replaced by silica to form the hard flint fossils we find today.

These echinoids are famed for their distinct five-point symmetry and domed shape, often resembling a crown or star. Flint echinoids are a sought-after classic British fossil due to their excellent preservation, high contrast appearance, and regional collectability.

This specimen was discovered by our own team members, Alister and Alison, on 24 March 2025, and has been expertly cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison for optimal presentation and preservation.

Item Details:

Name: Flint Echinoid (likely Conulus sp.)

Type: Sea Urchin Fossil (Echinoidea)

Common Name: Shepherd’s Crown

Age: Cretaceous Period (~100–66 million years ago)

Geological Formation: Chalk

Location Found: Seaford Head, Sussex, UK

Scale Reference: Scale Rule Squares / Cube = 1cm (please refer to photo for full sizing)

Certificate of Authenticity: Included

ACTUAL AS SEEN:

The image shows the exact specimen you will receive. Each fossil is carefully hand-selected and photographed to ensure quality and transparency.

Please Note:

Some fossils may be propped up for photography.

Colouration may vary slightly under different lighting or screens.

Sizes are approximate due to natural variations in shape.

Once sold, this listing will be updated with a new fossil and image.

100% Genuine – Professionally Prepared – Certificate of Authenticity Included