North America, Wyoming, Green River Formation, Eocene Period, ca. 53.5 to 48.5 million years ago. An amazing sandstone matrix of a fossilized stingray (Heliobatis radians) that has been inlaid into the plate, and 6 Knightia fish that are original to the matrix. The ray is slightly recessed in the stone and an excellent surviving specimen, since the inner skeleton of rays is cartilage and usually decay before they have a chance to fossilize! The fish have developed a caramel brown hue and their spines, fins, and the distinctive curved line of the operculum gill cover, are well preserved. Knightia are an extinct species of freshwater fish that resembled modern day herrings or sardines. The stone is meticulously prepared, and the stone has been backed with a wood panel for durability and wall hanging if desired and comes with modern mounting hardware. Size of ray: 17" L x 7.5" W (43.2 cm x 19 cm); matrix: 39" L x 1.375" W x 25" H (99.1 cm x 3.5 cm x 63.5 cm)
The sediment from the Green River Formation was deposited over a 5-million-year span, the layers of flora and fauna may not have fossilized at the same time - but make for interesting composites. The Eocene world was the warmest of the Cenozoic (our current era), with an average mean temperature around 86 F (30 C) (for comparison, the average mean temperature in the last seventy years is around 58 F (14 C). Although the map of the Earth's surface would have been very recognizable to us today, with most of the continents in place and India moving close to its current position, there were basically no ice caps and huge swaths of the landscape were covered with water, including vast inland seas. This impressive aquarium like arrangement creates a rare scene from a prehistoric environment that was drastically different than what the semi-arid Wyoming landscape of today!
Provenance: Private Berthoud, Colorado, USA collection
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#171620
Condition
Professionally excavated and prepared. The stingray is inlaid into the matrix and touch up painting to tail. Some surface abrasions but excellent preservation to fossils. Mounted with wood back panel for support with a metal bracket for mounting on a wall. Please note the size of this piece and requires a strong wall for mounting.