Solnhofen Insect Collection
The celebrated Solnhofen limestone is among the most important fossil deposits because of its astonishing diversity of organisms, many exquisitely preserved. Marine and terrestrial creatures and plants, buried 150 million years ago in soft lagoonal muds, provide a unique glimpse into the true diversity of Jurassic life. Articulated skeletons are preserved, as well as some soft-bodied animals that otherwise would be too delicate to survive fossilization. Among the highlights are superbly preserved jellyfish, crustaceans, squid, fish, and flying reptiles. Perhaps most important of all is Archaeopteryx– the celebrated “missing link” which has the skeleton of a dinosaur but is covered in feathers, revealing a crucial evolutionary transition between the reptiles and birds. Solnhofen opens a window into a vanished world and reveals the unexpected richness of a land and sea teeming with life. Many specimens from the Solnhofen Limestone have been cracked during the excavation process but all have been expertly repaired and restored and do not detract from the beauty of the specimens. When most specimens are found they are found when the limestone is split.