Been meaning to post these for quite some time, Anchiceratops skull TMP 1983.001.0001. I prepared this 1983-1984; one of the most technically challenging fossils Ive prepared in a 36 year professional career + 7 years as a kid collecting and preparing fossils. Not collected properly by an amateur, no glue used at all, only up to 2 (yes only 2) layers of plaster and burlap. They removed way too much of the supportive matrix in the field. Put onto a truck hood, dragged up hill, put in vehicle, bounced across the prairie, sagging jacket then manhandled to the floor of a garage, then manhandled onto a table, then back on the floor, then soaked by a flood, then the collapsing jacket was manhandled onto a table again, then to museum for me to fix. Bone chunks pouring out of a basketball-sized hole and jacket collapsed. In one area (part of nasal septum) there was about 25 pieces of bone glued to make up an area about the size of a thumbnail. Bone well permineralized but all cracks had relaxed allowing muddy water inside where it dried, so glue would not work, and if used the true shape of the skull would be lost reducing its value as a scientific specimen and display piece. So................... I had to take first piece, wash and dry it. Then take second piece, wash and dry it, then glue to the first piece. Most pieces about 1 X 1 X 1 cm. Repeat this process over and over again thousands of times over 6 months without interruption and this is the result. One orbital horn core and back of frill were eroded off and restored. Seasons greetings to members of this group!
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 01:27:17 +0000