Description:

Western Europe, Germany, Eichstatt, Solnhofen (Altmuhltal) Formation, Lower Jurassic period, ca. 183 to 175.6 million years ago. This is a wonderful fossilized prehistoric Eryma, a decapod crustacean genus that is a relative to modern day lobsters! This adorable fossil looks like he is scuttling away backwards- his tail fin tucked underneath the segmented abdomen and his legs folded in and pincers held before the head. The soft tissue of this Eryma is well preserved and slightly raised above the rest of the limestone- a nice sienna brown against the warm beige sedimentary matrix- highlighting the similar attributes they share with lobsters and crayfish of today! Crustaceans rarely fossilize as well as other creatures due to their soft exoskeletons, but the animals of the Solnhofen formation are unusually well preserved and renowned for the level of detail visible! Size (fossil): 3" L x 1.75" W (7.6 cm x 4.4 cm); (limestone matrix): 7.75" L x 0.625" W x 6.25" H (19.7 cm x 1.6 cm x 15.9 cm)

Provenance: private Berthoud, Colorado, USA 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.

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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.

#171622

  • Condition: Professionally prepared and excavated. Repairs to matrix and fossil- break lines radiating from lower left and right edges across pincers and abdomen- infilled and indiscernible. Pigments added to antennae.

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May 12, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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