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Fossil Collection and Curation

Fossil Collection and Curation. Excavating Vertebrate Fossils Jeff Good. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpruHNCNtLY/TVdXIybQtWI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/oB_c_ls12yc/s1600/JP93-dig1.jpg. Fossil Collection. Fossil collection varies by matrix type or size of fossil. Tools used in fossil collection:

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Fossil Collection and Curation

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  1. Fossil Collection and Curation Excavating Vertebrate Fossils Jeff Good http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpruHNCNtLY/TVdXIybQtWI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/oB_c_ls12yc/s1600/JP93-dig1.jpg

  2. Fossil Collection • Fossil collection varies by matrix type or size of fossil. • Tools used in fossil collection: • Digging tools: shovels, picks, hammers, chisels, awls, etc. • Fine digging tools: paint brushes, toothbrushes, dental picks, etc. • Water • Sieves • Consolidant / adhesive • Plastic / burlap bags • Gauze / toilet paper, • Plaster strips

  3. Fossil Collection Techniques • Small to medium sized fossil collection: • Dry Sieve: small fossils are isolated from matrix by a network of sized mesh. • Wet Sieve: small fossils are isolated from matrix with the aid of running water through a network of sized mesh. • Surface collection: when a fossil is partially exposed and can be simply removed or removed without extensive excavation. • Large to very large sized fossil collection: • Excavation • Preparation http://www.nhm.ac.uk/resources-rx/images/1017/palaeontology-dinosaur-fossil-excavation_88519_1.jpg http://www.turkanabasin.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Sieving-450x366.jpg

  4. Steps of Excavation • Removal of Overburden • Tools such as shovels and picks used to remove majority of matrix • Uncover the extent of the fossil • Consolidation • Tools such as gauze, toilet paper, and Japanese rice paper used • Adherent applied to structurally strengthen fossil • Trenching • Fossil block is dug out of surrounding matrix • Jacketing • Fossil block is coated in plaster for protection and transport • Labeling • Field number, location and notes recorded for fossil transportation

  5. Steps of Excavation http://www.tarpits.org/sites/default/files/hero_images/PageWebImages_980x425_LABREATARPITS_curr_excavation_hand.jpg http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gingeric/PDGwhales/PDG20050233.jpg http://archosaurmusings.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dsc_0482.jpg http://www.news.appstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/triassic_plaster.jpg

  6. Fossil Preparation • Preparation of a fossil allows for the removal of sediment that is close or attached to the fossil itself. • Monotonous, finite, delicate process that is done in a controlled environment with access to special tools to remove the rest of the matrix. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or4kDy-Uu00 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Fossil_preparation_at_the_Condon_Center_lab.jpg

  7. Fossil Curation To obtain or display a fossil, an institution: • Must have a permit or right to excavate, ship, possess or display the specimen. • Must find the specimen to be unique, rare, or of high value if in order to display and maintain • Maintain Accession records • How was the specimen received? • Maintain Locality records • Where was the specimen collected? • Catalog and organize the specimen • Taxonomic I.D., etc. http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/swizzmeister/FossilDisplay12k.jpg

  8. Works Cited • http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/paleontologists-excavate-fossils • http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/Excavating.shtml • http://preparation.paleo.amnh.org/35/techniques-in-the-field • http://preparation.paleo.amnh.org/assets/Fox_Field_Prep_Notesv2withimages.pdf • http://www.paleosoc.org/pscode.htm

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