Dinosaur Skull. Triceratops horridus. Late Cretaceous. Hell Creek Formation. Montana, USA. ... (Total: 3 Items)

Description

Dinosaur Skull
Triceratops horridus
Late Cretaceous
Hell Creek Formation
Montana, USA

Any authentic Dinosaur skull is always going to be a highlight of any auction event, and this outstanding specimen only confirms the validity of this statement. Along with Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops stands as one of the most iconic of all Dinosaurs and is universally recognized for its distinctive skull structure. With two large pronounced brown horns and huge frill, this ceratopsian is simply elegant and naturally beautiful in form. The size of the skull is massive indicating that a "Trike" was an incredibly big animal.

The "three-horned face" presented here is superlative for many reasons. Found in Montana in 2014 on private land, the fossil is clearly Triceratops horridus given the very large brow horns and massive skull. Unlike many inferior specimens, this skull consists of approximately 85 percent of real fossilized bone. From a breakdown point of view, the brown horns are 100 percent original, and the frill is 90 percent complete. The front beak is 100 percent original, and even 40 percent of the lower jaw is authentic. The most restoration occurred in the area of the maxilla. This is an exceptional specimen in terms of completeness and size.

This particular specimen exhibits some unique characteristics that give an insight into how this animal lived. The skull shows both large and small punctures that were endured during life. The "scars" could have been caused by another Triceratops, or even T-rex. The areas are concentrated and visible close to the left brow horn and on the frill. There is a channel groove on the front of the frill going into the base of the left brow horn indicating the herbivore endured a serious infection. Some of the growth, or even regrowth, of the horn was clearly impacted by this circumstance resulting in a pathological look to the lower section of the tremendously thick protuberance. This unusual and interesting aspect adds a very important attribute to this spectacular specimen that already has an incalculable amount of intrigue to offer. This huge skull is custom mounted on a complex metal armature which has wheels affording the large fossil some portability. A two-piece wooden block "snaps" around the base of the mount giving the incredible museum-quality specimen a finished appearance. This one is ready to go anywhere anytime.

This is a fabulous skull of an iconic Dinosaur with a unique story to tell even some 80 million years later.

Overall Measurements: 84.00 x 68.00 x 88.00 inches (213.36 x 172.72 x 223.52 cm)

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