Complete Woolly Rhinoceros Fossil Tibia Bone

Northern Asia, Russia, Siberia, Upper Pleistocene,. A complete and well preserved tibia bone of an adult woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis)! The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower hind leg. The surface shows natural mineral coloring in tones of tan, brown and gray, with well-defined muscle attachment areas along the shaft and toward the articular ends. The woolly rhinoceros ranged across the cold steppes of northern Eurasia and was adapted to glacial conditions, with a thick coat and two horns on the snout. Coelodonta antiquitatis was the most widespread rhinoceros of the Pleistocene. It ranged from the British Isles across northern Eurasia to northeastern Siberia. Adaptations to extreme cold included a dense woolly coat, short limbs and tail, and a low-slung head. It carried two horns of keratin, and the front horn could exceed a meter in length. Wear on the horns suggests the animal swept snow aside to reach the grasses and sedges beneath. Woolly rhinoceroses appear in Upper Paleolithic cave art, most famously at Chauvet in France. Siberian permafrost has preserved bones and even complete carcasses with skin and hair. The species disappeared from its last Siberian strongholds near the end of the Pleistocene. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. Item # 205679

Estimate:$1,000

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