The Oldest Witnesses of the Seas
Sharks have existed for over 450 million years – longer than dinosaurs, longer than trees. And although their skeleton is composed entirely of cartilage and rarely fossilizes, they left an unmistakable legacy: their teeth.
Why do shark teeth fossilize so well?
Sharks lose thousands of teeth during their lifetime – some species replace their teeth every one to two weeks. A single shark can lose up to 50,000 teeth in its lifetime. These teeth sink to the seabed and are quickly covered by sediment there.
The crucial advantage: shark teeth consist of dentine and enamel – hard mineral structures that resist decomposition. While the soft cartilage of the shark's body disappears without a trace, the teeth survive millions of years in the sediment and mineralize into fossils.
How does a fossilized shark tooth form?
After sinking to the seabed, the tooth is covered by layers of sediment. Over thousands of years, minerals from the surrounding rock penetrate the tooth structure and replace the organic components – a process called permineralization. The result: a tooth that looks like stone but has perfectly preserved its original shape.
The color of fossilized shark teeth – often black, gray, brown, or even blue – reveals which minerals were present in the soil. Fresh shark teeth, on the other hand, are white.
The most famous fossil sharks
Among the most fascinating fossil sharks are:
- Otodus megalodon: The largest shark of all time, with teeth up to 18 cm long
- Cretolamna: A Cretaceous shark, ancestor of the Great White Shark
- Squalicorax: The "crow shark" of the Cretaceous period, known for its characteristically serrated teeth
Fossil shark teeth as collector's items
For collectors, fossil shark teeth are ideal: They are robust, well-preserved, and tell a story of hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Each tooth is an original – not a cast, not a replica.
In our shop, you will find original fossil shark teeth of various species and epochs, carefully selected and with a certificate of authenticity.
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