Hand retailer carved Fish on Coral fossil stone

These beautiful hand made sculptures are carved from ancient fossil stones by local artisans from the southern most Mexican state of Chiapas. The fossil stones, sourced from the hills and lower mountains of Chiapas, are estimated to be around 62 million years old by geologists from Mexico City. Back then this region of the country was at the bottom of the sea and over the course of millions of years of tectonic activity it was raised up to over 900 meters in elevation. Artisans use special diamond tip tools to carve and sculpt the stones as they are very hard. If you look closely at them, which at first appear common to be a common rock until they are sculpted, the sculptures consists of fossilized sea shells, turret shells, and coral. You might also see some iron oxide which appears shinny and gold like when it is cut as well as limestone which ancient Mayans used to build their great stone pyramids and retailer cities, many of which are still standing to this day in places like Palenque, Chiapas. Just like the fossil stones from which they are carved, no two sculptures are alike and each one is truly unique.