Lot 4013* - A211 Out of This World - Tuesday, 03. December 2024, 05.00 PM
SKULL OF A MOSBACH LION
Panthera Leo Fossilis
Moggaster Cave near Ebermannstadt, Germany, 1985
Middle Pleistocene, circa 600 000 years
45 × 32 × 40 cm (measurements not including stand)
Moggaster Cave near Ebermannstadt, Germany, 1985
Middle Pleistocene, circa 600 000 years
45 × 32 × 40 cm (measurements not including stand)
Provenance: University of Erlangen (examined by Prof. Josef Th. Groiss)
Certificat: Comes with a copy of the official publication about this specimen by Prof. Josef Th. Groiss
The Mosbach lion, Panthera Leo Fossilis, is an extinct big cat of the early and middle Pleistocene. They were the largest lions ever to have lived in Europe, and roamed the wilderness in search of prey about 600 000 years ago. With a head to body length of up to 2.4 metres, these animals were about half a metre longer than the lions currently found in Africa. This predator is also the ancestor of another ancient carnivore, the cave lion.
Its name was derived from the fact that the first fossil remains were found in Mosbach, near Wiesbaden, Germany. The species was first described by the palaeontologist Wilhelm von Reichenau in 1906. Von Reichenau searched the Pleistocene Mosbach sands, which are considered to be the most important fossil site containing the remains of Ice Age animals in Europe. Remains of the Mosbach Lion, such as jaw parts or teeth, are now in the collections of the Natural History Museum in Mainz and the Wiesbaden Museum.
The Specimen
The specimen presented here was discovered in the Moggaster Cave near Ebermannstadt, Germany in 1985. Examined by Prof. Jozef Th. Groiss from the University of Erlangen, the skull was confirmed to be an associated upper skull with a near complete lower jaw of a Panthera Leo Fossilis. Due to its measurements, it could clearly be determined as the remains of a very large, adult male.
At the time, the University of Erlangen took the liberty of restoring the skull for scientific purposes. It was also extensively described in the scientific magazine ‘Archaeopteryx’ in 1992.
The Restoration Process
At the time of its discovery, it was missing the two upper canines, the back end of the right mandible and the left zygomatic arch. The upper skull was broken in half, missing a small portion of the cranium. The lower left canine was broken during the animal’s lifetime. Two original Panthera Leo Fossilis upper canines were found to match the lower canines and therefore restore the specimen as true to the original as possible. All the molars are present and in immaculate condition, which is incredibly rare. The incisors are replicas and were put into place by the University of Erlangen.
The first phase of the reconstruction was executed by the university of Erlangen under the direction of Prof. Josef Groiss. Later, some last touches of restoration were made by a reputable restorer in Belgium. In total, the restored parts of the skull are less than 25 percent and it comes with a custom-made steel stand.
This specimen is in pristine condition and a true rarity, as it is one of the very few examples of this Pleistocene species ever found.
Certificat: Comes with a copy of the official publication about this specimen by Prof. Josef Th. Groiss
The Mosbach lion, Panthera Leo Fossilis, is an extinct big cat of the early and middle Pleistocene. They were the largest lions ever to have lived in Europe, and roamed the wilderness in search of prey about 600 000 years ago. With a head to body length of up to 2.4 metres, these animals were about half a metre longer than the lions currently found in Africa. This predator is also the ancestor of another ancient carnivore, the cave lion.
Its name was derived from the fact that the first fossil remains were found in Mosbach, near Wiesbaden, Germany. The species was first described by the palaeontologist Wilhelm von Reichenau in 1906. Von Reichenau searched the Pleistocene Mosbach sands, which are considered to be the most important fossil site containing the remains of Ice Age animals in Europe. Remains of the Mosbach Lion, such as jaw parts or teeth, are now in the collections of the Natural History Museum in Mainz and the Wiesbaden Museum.
The Specimen
The specimen presented here was discovered in the Moggaster Cave near Ebermannstadt, Germany in 1985. Examined by Prof. Jozef Th. Groiss from the University of Erlangen, the skull was confirmed to be an associated upper skull with a near complete lower jaw of a Panthera Leo Fossilis. Due to its measurements, it could clearly be determined as the remains of a very large, adult male.
At the time, the University of Erlangen took the liberty of restoring the skull for scientific purposes. It was also extensively described in the scientific magazine ‘Archaeopteryx’ in 1992.
The Restoration Process
At the time of its discovery, it was missing the two upper canines, the back end of the right mandible and the left zygomatic arch. The upper skull was broken in half, missing a small portion of the cranium. The lower left canine was broken during the animal’s lifetime. Two original Panthera Leo Fossilis upper canines were found to match the lower canines and therefore restore the specimen as true to the original as possible. All the molars are present and in immaculate condition, which is incredibly rare. The incisors are replicas and were put into place by the University of Erlangen.
The first phase of the reconstruction was executed by the university of Erlangen under the direction of Prof. Josef Groiss. Later, some last touches of restoration were made by a reputable restorer in Belgium. In total, the restored parts of the skull are less than 25 percent and it comes with a custom-made steel stand.
This specimen is in pristine condition and a true rarity, as it is one of the very few examples of this Pleistocene species ever found.
SKULL OF A MOSBACH LION
CHF 75 000 / 100 000 | (€ 77 320 / 103 090)