Fossil Preparation I: In the Field

The bones are then packaged for transport in "field jackets." Once a bone, or group of bones has been cleared of surrounding sediment, it must be protected from damage during transport. Toilet paper or paper towels moistened with water are applied to the bones sealed in resin. The paper helps to cushion the bones. Next, several layers of burlap are wound around the mass, and plaster of Paris is applied. The plaster forms a hard layer that also protects the bones inside, and allows the jacket to be moved.

So far, only the tops of the exposed bones have been encased in the jacket. Before the jacket is ready to be moved, a thin "pedestal" must be carefully cleared underneath the bones, sometimes this leads to the discovery of more bones underneath! The plaster and burlap jacket is continued around the bottom of the mass, and the jacket is finally removed from the pedestal.

All that bone, sediment, and plaster is pretty heavy, and may require the use of heavy machinery to load it into a large truck waiting to take the paleontological cargo back to the museum. One it is in the museum, it will be catalogued, and preparators will cut through the plaster to begin the more meticulous job of preparing the bones in the fossil laboratory so they can be displayed for museum visitors.

Be sure to visit my web site for more links to Natural History Museums. Also visit Mark Tailleur's site at Suite 101 for his articles about Natural History Museums.

Photographs by Beverly Eschberger, Geoff Habiger, and Jerry D. Harris

Go To Page: 1 2