Giant Fossilized Asaphus Trilobites - Mass Colony!

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Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art...

By Artemis Gallery

Oct 7, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-10-07 10:00:00 2021-10-07 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-7537
Museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Ancient Seas, North Africa, Morocco, Anti-Atlas Mountains, Lower Permian, ca. 295 to 280 million years ago. A true museum quality show piece, high relief trilobites in their natural positions as they died and fossilized; no artificial assembly needed! This is a massive and rare matrix slab of 26 complete and partial large Asaphus trilobites and is indeed, a show-stopping specimen. This is a mass death assemblage of these trilobites on their original matrix, prepared to expose fossils in their original pose as when buried in sediment. Unlike many Moroccan multiple trilobite fossils where the trilobites are artificially assembled on matrix, this remarkable specimen is 100% natural with all trilobites found together as shown. They each have beautiful dark umber and brown hues that contrast wonderfully with the lighter matrix, and their incredible details; thorax, eyes, and genal spines - are all preserved and detailed! Size of matrix: 40" L x 39" W (101.6 cm x 99.1 cm); average trilobite: 8" L (20.3 cm) to 9" L (22.9 cm)
  
  This enormous specimen demonstrates the deadly events in past history where large numbers of creatures died at the hands of a brutal environment. The topic of mass extinction is always a fascinating subject and our Earth's prehistory is filled with many tragic events with evidence of fossils like this specimen to demonstrate the sobering effects of such an apocalyptic occurrence. This amazing grouping of very large Asaphus trilobites shows spectacular qualities of both complete and incomplete creatures - 26 in all! Some cataclysmic event was responsible for the sudden death and burial of this assemblage of trilobites. If you are looking for that one supreme, MUSEUM-CLASS, large display specimen for public exhibition or a private setting, this piece is definitely one of your best candidates. It is the type of fossil that viewers will never forget. Laws in Morocco have changed now and are forbidding the export of natural specimens such as this, so the future possibility of acquiring fossils of this magnitude continue to become increasingly scarce.
  
  Trilobites are hard-shelled, segmented creatures that lived hundreds of millions of years ago in the Earth's ancient seas. They are one of our planet's earliest complex life-forms and are one of the key signature creatures of the Paleozoic Era. Trilobites went extinct before dinosaurs even existed. The name trilobite means "three lobed" and is derived from the fact these animals had bodies featuring three longitudinal lobes, not lateral (head, body, tail) as is often thought. The lateral division of three parts is shared by many arthropods, not just trilobites. In a relatively short timeframe (scientifically speaking, of course), we have the emergence and subsequent extinction of these fascinating creatures. Still most baffling is the incredible diversity of sizes and features that made up the trilobite group. Many bizarre species co-existed with highly specialized body parts that defy the theories of evolution in their "sudden" emergence and diversity during the Early Cambrian Period in what is known as the 'Cambrian Explosion.'
  
  Trilobites were among the world's first arthropods, a phylum of hard-shelled creatures with multiple body segments and jointed legs (although the legs, antennae and other finer structures of trilobites only very rarely are preserved). They constitute an extinct class of arthropods, Trilobita, that is comprised of over 15,000 known species. It has been reported that every year, four to five new species are discovered in the Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountain regions in Morocco, alone! This desolate northern fringe of the Sahara Desert was once covered by a prehistoric ocean and its fossil deposits can be considered amongst the world's richest and most diverse source of these ancient sea creatures. Trilobites are the single most diverse group of extinct organisms that ever existed, period! The smallest known trilobite is just three millimeters long, while the largest type grew to a length of 70 centimeters (over two feet long!). The most common fossil of trilobites is the mineralized dorsal exoskeleton of the creature. This is found in partial form from molting (shedding the shell as it grows) or in complete form when the animal was buried and died intact. The soft parts of the underside are rarely preserved. Trilobite fossils are collected by locating a fossil-bearing layer in rock and then breaking boulder or splitting rock sheet to reveal a cross-section of the preserved trilobite carapace in the break or to reveal an imprint in the sheet. Once the fossil is located, the pieces are then reassembled, and delicate preparation then ensues to remove the surrounding rock above and around the trilobite to expose the fossil.
  
  This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
  
  Provenance: ex-private French collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #167886

  Condition

  Genuine and natural grouping of trilobites as they appeared when fossilized, and no restoration to fossils. Stone matrix has minor fissures and saw lines from the original excavation, that have been filled. The slab has been reinforced on the back side with steel bars and fiberglass epoxy embedded in the original stone matrix that the trilobites are on.
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