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During my trip to Madagascar in March 2017 i arrived in a huge cyclone and the flight into Antananarivo was very bumpy and the skies were filled with lightning the like i have never seen before. Upon arrival the rain was torrential and the storm blew for another 3 days. Electricity was scarce and many roads were washed out from the heavy rains. The storm was another blow for the Malagasy people and damage to their homes was quite extensive but luckily casualty reports seemed quite minimal bearing in mind the ferocity of the storm. …

Lemurs are a primate that evolved independently to monkeys and apes and are endemic to the island of Madagascar. The word Lemur derives from the word Lemures which means ghosts or spirits in roman mythology and came about due to their nocturnal habits and slow pace. Lemur evolution has produced a very high level of species diversity and this is mainly due to Madagascar's highly seasonal …

Crystals have been revered and sold throughout history. From enigmatic crystal skulls; to clear quartz crystal balls used for fortune-telling; to crystal jewellery; crystals come in many forms. For example, thousands years ago crystals such as carnelians were used to make amulets in Ancient Egypt, where sections of the Book of the Dead were carved onto its surface: the finished product was kept in the deceased’s tomb to help their journey into the afterlife. …

Fossils for Sale have played an essential role in the development of science; particularly in geological and biological research. They also have fantastic aesthetic and historical value, and this has ensured their enduring success in retail throughout the ages. Madagascan Direct is a company which prides itself upon the sale of fine fossils from Madagascar, and in this blog post we hope to provide you with not only general information about the …

Scientists have discovered a fossilized backbone of Miocene Dolphin which could date between 5 and 9 million years old. It is the first ever proof that dolphins once swam the ancient waters around Madagascar. The backbone belongs to an unnamed and previously unlisted species of dolphin the scientists have said. This discovery marks the first fossil discovery of a dolphin from this area. Karen Samonds who is an associate of biological sciences at northern Illinois university found the backbone on the island of Makamby which is a small island off the north west coast of Madagascar,…

We are just about to photograph and list some lovely optical calcite Rhombohedrons which we purchased in October and then had them polished. They look really stunning with striking hues of lavender or a pale citrine like yellow, and also the classic iceland spar clear which is very sharp and bright and water clear, They also display some amazing multi coloured rainbows too.…

It was time to prepare again for the second trip of the year to Madagascar to fill up a twenty foot container full of Crystals and Fossils to bring back to the UK. The journey takes about twenty four hours of travelling filled with excitement at what wonders we will be able to obtain for our customers. It has been eighteen and a half years now of travelling to this mysterious island off the east coast of Africa and i often reflect on the many trips i have taken there in the different seasons.…

Fossils and Crystals are beautiful natural objects which make fantastic gifts at Christmas, Anniversaries, Birthdays or just when you want to give an extra special thank you to someone. If you are a collector a healer or someone who finds mother natures treasures irresistible a fossil or crystal can make a wonderful and unique gift which is timeless and a real talking point and will outlast any gift that will go in or out of fashion.…

Asterism is a name taken from the ancient Greeks and it is the phenomenom of gemstones exhibiting a luminous star like shape when cut into a rounded domed cabochon or even a sphere like the star rose quartz spheres we sell at Madagascan Direct. Not all rose quartz will exhibit asterism but the rose quartz from Madagascar is well known to have a tendancy to produce this wonderful marvel. Natural sunlight is the perfect light to see the …

There was a once a time where modern science, and with it the wonders of geology did not exist. Fossils of many dinosaurs were yet to be discovered, and their full significance with regards to evolution remained unknown. Yet one young woman changed all this, setting in motion a scientific revolution. That woman’s name was Mary Anning. Born one summer’s day in May 1799, Mary Anning spent most of her life upon the coastal cliffs of …