Country
Fossil hunting in Israel
A rock face in the Negev carries hundreds of Late Cretaceous ammonites weathered into relief. The Ammonite Wall in Makhtesh Ramon is 700 meters along a marked trail, and the fossils are protected, so you photograph them and leave.
Makhtesh Ramon is an erosional crater, not an impact structure. The ammonites come from the Tamar Formation. They date to the Cenomanian, about 100 to 94 million years ago, from the sea that covered the Negev at the time. The wall exposes them in section and in plan across the same surface.
Reach it from Route 40 inside the makhtesh, roughly 15 kilometers from Mitzpe Ramon, then walk 700 meters along the red-marked trail. The fossils are a protected natural value under Israel's 1998 conservation law and collecting them is prohibited.
1 fossil site
Updated 12 September 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Can you collect ammonites at Makhtesh Ramon?
- No. The ammonites are a protected natural phenomenon and collecting is prohibited. The site is for viewing and photography.
- How do you get to the Ammonite Wall?
- Take Route 40 into Makhtesh Ramon, about 15 kilometers from Mitzpe Ramon, then follow the red-marked trail for 700 meters.