Black-footed Albatross, Dmanisi Homo erectus Skull 1, Male Mid-Facial Blunt Force Trauma
.... and the AACA conference in June.

May - We are enjoying the mild spring weather and can't help but notice a few new visitors to our yards: migratory birds! Spring migration is well underway. Throughout the Americas there are still a multitude of birding festivals and events where you can see and learn about birds and birdwatching. (check out The Cornell Lab: All About Birds or the National Wildlife Refuge System.) We have an extensive selection of birds and bird related material in our Bird category.

We are delighted to introduce our newest bird skeleton: the Black-footed Albatross. This species is the only albatross regularly seen off the northern pacific coast of the Americas. An impressive migratory oceanic bird, it is capable of staying aloft for extraordinarily long durations and distances. We posed ours in a typical soaring/gliding position. Also available: Black-footed Albatross Skeleton disarticulated and skull.

New Skulls

We are pleased to announce another reconstruction of the Dmanisi group of skulls. The Dmanisi site, located in the country of Georgia, bordered by lakes and bridging Europe and Asia, is one of the most informative Lower Paleolithic sites in the world. It has yeilded multiple specimens including at least 5 individuals found near each other which represent the earliest hominin remains found outside of Africa.

BH-057 Dmanisi Homo erectus Skull 1 Dmanisi D2280 (Skull 1) was excavated from the Dmanisi site during the 1999 excavation season. It is an almost complete calvaria of an adult male Homo erectus with a partial cranial base and an endocranial volume of 775cm. Its cranial shape is similar to other Dmanisi specimens; marked postorbital constriction, thick eyebrow ridges, presence of an external occipital protuberance with a nuchal line, and thick cranial bones.

Also new is our 21st specimen from the Hrdlicka Paleopathology Collection (pronounced Hurlischka) from the Museum of Man in San Diego. Overall, we offer more than 140 specimens of pathology and trauma in skulls, skeletons and postcranial parts.

BCH-816 Human Male Cranium with Mid-facial Blunt Force Trauma This adult male exhibits both extensive antemortem trauma (trauma sustained before death with evidence of healing) and perimortem trauma (trauma sustained just before death with no evidence of healing) likely caused by a blunt object. There are healed comminuted fractures of the face involving both nasals, maxillae, and the left zygomatic bone.

Until Next time ....