Fossils only occur in sedimentary rocks and deposits. In volcanic rocks there are no fossils. Examples of sedimentary rocks are shale, limestone, sandstone, and marls. When collecting fossils yourself, a good preparation is necessary. Always bring the right equipment, and pay attention to your safety!

There are many places in the World where you can collect fossils. Also in The Netherlands it is possible to collect fossils from different periods. In the southeast of the Netherlands rocks from the Cretaceous occur. There you can find fossil bivalves, belemnites, corals, sharkteeth and occasionally a teeth of a Mosasaur. Information about collecting days at the ENCI quarry in Maastricht you can find at the "Nederlandse Geologische Vereniging afdeling Limburg" (only in Dutch).

In the east of The Netherlands in Winterswijk there is a quarry in limestone from the Triassic period. When you are lucky you can find tracks of small reptilians and dinosaurs! Also minerals are found in this quarry. Several times a year the quarry is open to the public. More information you can find at "excursiepagina van de Nederlandse Geologische Vereniging" (only in Dutch).

The third major site to collect fossils in The Netherlands is the beach at Cadzand in the southwest. Here you can find fossil shells, shark teeth and ray teeth from the Tertiary period. Shark teeth with a size of 10 centimetres are occasionally found. Also bones of Pleistocene mammals are found here.

On several locations in The Netherlands fossils are found which were transported here by glaciers in the iceage. Near Groningen you can find Silurian corals from Scandinavia in the boulder clay.

For more information about these and more collecting locations in the World see the Locations page.

To keep the collecting locations accesible to everybody, please pay respect to the Collecting rules!