Choice Fossilized Juvenile Triceratops Horn, 14"!

Lot 98b

About Seller

686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States

Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more

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Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fine Art by Artemis Gallery

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Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fin...

By Artemis Gallery

Jun 29, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-06-29 10:00:00 2023-06-29 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic and Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-and-fine-art-13031 Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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Lot Description

North America, Western United States, Montana, Carter County, Hell Creek Formation, late Cretaceous Period, ca. 68 to 66 million years ago. A fossilized horn from a juvenile triceratops (Triceratops horridus), one of the most iconic herbivores in the dinosaur kingdom! As the name suggests, "three-horned face," this dinosaur used the 3 horns for fending off attacks and gouging predators - like modern day bulls. Their horns were made of a material like fingernails that covered a bone core- unsurprisingly the horns were initially mistaken for fossilized bison horns before the discovery of a more complete dinosaur skeleton. This horn is slightly curved with a warm brown coloration and a fantastic display specimen!

The first triceratops specimen was discovered just west of Denver, Colorado, in the town of Morrison, in 1887, by Arthur Lakes and named by Othniel Charles Marsh. In life, these herbivores grew to over twenty feet long and could weigh over 10,000 pounds! The triceratops skull was heavy and distinctive: with three horns, a parrot-like beak, and a frill that could reach three feet wide, it was one of the largest skulls known from any land animal. Interestingly, most horned animals travel in herds, but the triceratops has been found more frequently in individual contexts. Puncture marks on the fossil frills of males of the species show that they used their horns to fight each other, with some paleontologists believing that this was done to impress females. Finds of blood vessels throughout the horns and frills of these animals suggest that they were not just weapons, but were also used for identification of individuals, much like the antlers and horns of modern species like reindeer and mountain goats. These horns grew throughout the life of the animal, especially in childhood and adolescence, along with the skull, which went from one foot long in juveniles to six feet long in adults. The horns on these babies were only about an inch long.

Provenance: private Berthoud, Colorado, USA collection

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#179690

Condition

Repaired and restored. Restoration with new material to the tip. Approximately 80% or more original material. Surface covered in clear stabilizer.
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