Fossilised Collection (#4)

Martin Alister Campbell Hinton (1883-1961)
Portrait of Martin Alister Campbell Hinton, a zoologist and keeper of zoology at the British Museum (Natural History). From Piltdown, A Scientific Forgery

Clypeus ploti, fossil echinoid
Fossil echinoid also known as a poundstone from the Jurassic period Trigonia Grit, Aylworth, U.K

Homo sapiens (Singa 1) cranium
A heavily mineralized cranium once belonging to that of Homo sapiens who lived about 130, 000 years ago. This specimen was discovered in Singa, Sudan by W.R.G. Bond in 1924

Thecosmilia trichotoma, a fossil coral
Thecosmilia trichotoma (Goldfuss). Scleractinian coral. Jurassic (Bathonian); Nattheim, Germany; BMNH 55859

Lepidotes sp. wealden fish
Fosillised scales and teeth of the wealden fish (Lepidotes) found inside the ribs of the dinosaur Baryonyx walkeri, Surrey

Mawsonites spriggi, fossil jellyfish
This is a cast of the holotype of Mawsonites spriggi, a specimen of the Ediacara fauna from the Pre-cambrian of Australia

Homo sapiens cranium (Predmosti 3)
Frontal view of cranium and mandible (casts) of a Homo sapiens male aged 35-40 discovered at Predmosti, North East Moravia, Czech Republic. By K.J. Maska, June 1894. This specimen dates back 30, 000

Lepidodendron, fossil tree trunk
The reptilian appearance of the branch of this fossil tree is cause by the diamond-shaped pattern, which indicates the points of attachment of the leaves. This specimen is about 6cm in diameter

Hydnoceras tuberosum, fossil glass sponge
A vase-shaped, fossil glass (silaceous skeleton) sponge from the Devonian of New York

Mammoth thigh bone
Fossilised thigh bone of a woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) from Siberia. About 40, 000 years old

Coeloptychium agaricoides, fossil sponge
This hexactinellid (six rayed spiculed) sponge originates from the Cretaceous of Westphalia, Germany. It has a maximum diameter 8 cm. Sponges are filter feeders and live on plankton

Zamites gigas
Jurassic leaves of the extinct cycad like bennettitalean gymnosperm from York, England. Specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London

Homo heildelbergensis, Rhodesian or Broken Hill Man (Broken
Basilar view of the cranium belonging to Broken Hill Man (Homo heildelbergensis) discovered at Broken Hill Mine, Kabwe, Zambia by T. Zwigelaar in June 1921. It dates back 130, 000 years

Homo sapiens cranium (Irhoud 2)
Lateral and facial view of a cast of a skull belonging to an adult male Homo sapiens discovered at Jebel Irhoud (formerly Ighoud), Barytes mine S.E of Safi, Morocco, by Mohammed Ben Fatmi, summer 1961

Homo sapiens cranium (Qafzeh 9)
Lateral and frontal view of a cast of a Homo sapiens adult skull discovered at Dkebel Kafzeh, Israel by B. Vandermeersch, 1965-1969

Endoceras cancellatum, nautiloid
A long-shelled fossil invertebrate from the class Cephalopoda belonging in the phylum Mollusca (molluscs). Photographed by Beatriz Aguirre-Urreta. Specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London

Australopithecus boisei (OH5) & Homo habilis (OH24) crania
Two cranium casts of: (left) Australopithecus boisei known as OH5 and (right) homo habilis known as OH24. Both original specimens were discovered within Bed 1 at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Homo sapiens cranium (Liujiang 1)
Frontal view of a cast of (Qafzeh 6), a homo sapiens cranium with dentition. Discovered at Djebel Kafzeh, Israel by R. Neuville & M. Stekelis, 1934. Middle Palaeolithic 250, 000-35, 000 BP

Brachyphyllum princeps, fossil plant
This specimen of Brachyphyllum princeps is from Solenhofen Limestone, Bavaria, Germany

Pachycephalosaurus skull
A fossil skull that once belonged to the dinosaur, Pachycephalosaurus. It features a huge dome of bone which may have protected the brain. The skull is also covered in decorative bony studs

Sphenopteris laurenti, fossil fern
This specimen dates from the Middle Coal Measures, Carboniferous, Clay Cross, Derbyshire, England. The frond is 9 cms long

Fossil bearing rocks, Abu Dhabi
6 million years old sandstone, fossil bearing rocks. Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Kodonophyllum truncatum, fossil coral
Kodonophyllum truncatum (Linne) from the Silurian period, Dudley, West Midlands, England

Ichthyosaurus communis

Rana pueyoi, fossil frog
An 8-6 million year old specimen of a fossil frog from the Late Miocene, Teruel, Spain

Porana oeningen, fossil flower
Fossil flower from the late Miocene Tortonian rocks of Oeningen, Baden, Germany. Morning glory family - Convolvulaceae. Specimen from the Van Breda Collection

Dinosaur footprints at Swanage
Fossilised footprint of a dinosaur dating back to around 135 million years ago from a Purbeck Stone quarry near Swanage, Dorset, UK. Scientists believe that they may have belonged to the Iguanodon

Five bivalve fossils
(Top) Chlamys fibrosa; (Centre left) Chlamys splendens; (Centre right) Perampliata ampliata; (Lower left) Mytilus ungulatus; (Lower right) Trigonia reticulata

Alethopteris lonchitica, fossil seed fern
Shown here is a frond of the seed fern Alethopteris, specimen originating from Carboniferous rocks near Barnsley, England

Cro-Magnon skull
Skull of Cro-Magnon man, side view. The term Cro- Magnon is used in a general sense to refer to the earliest European examples of Homo sapiens, or modern man, living in Europe between about 40

Trilobite fossils. Rock containing a number of trilobite fossils (Ellipsocephalus hoffi) from the middle Cambrian period (about 515 million years ago)

Chert rock. This carbonaceous chert is from the Barberton greenstone belt in South Africa. The Earths oldest fossil bacteria have been found in this type of rock

Tribrachidium fossil
Ediacaran fossil. Fossil of a soft-bodied, multi-cellular organism (Tribrachidium heraldicum) from the Ediacaran Period (around 635 to 542 million years ago)

Clypeaster altus, a fossil echinoid
Clypeaster altus, 13 cm anterior to posterior, from the Miocene of Malta, oral view

Syringopora, fossil coral
Silicified colony of the tabulate coral Syringopora from the British Carboniferous. The tubular corallites are about 2 mm in diameter

Terrabratula: The fossilised shell of Terebratula maxima Charlesworth

Gastropods - Campanile: Cross section of the fossilised shell of the giant cerith, the Campanile giganteum (Lamarck), which lives on the sandy bottoms of very shallow, warm seas

Echinoids - Hemiaster: Fossilised test of a heart urchin, Hemiaster batnensis Coquand, which lives deep in the mud on which it feeds, channeling it into its mouth by its anterior notch

Echinoids - Coleopleurus: A fossilised sea urchin, Coleopleurus paucituberculatus (Gregory), which lived in shallow water on hard and rocky substrates

Echinoids - Hemicidaris: A well preserved specimen of a fossilised sea urchin, Hemicidaris intermedia (Fleming), which lived on the sea bed among rocky outcrops

Echinoids - Hardouinia: A fossilised sea urchin, Hardouinia mortonis (Michelin), which fed on the sand in which it lived partially buried

Bivalves - Cardiola: A cluster of fossilised shells of Cardiola interrupta J. de C. Sowerby, which is believed to have lived just below the sediment in moderately deep waters

Gastropods - Bourgetia: The fossilised shell of a sea snail, the Bourgetia saemanni (Oppel), a marine creature that lived in coral and sponge reefs in warm and shallow seas

Heliolites, coral
Small colony, 4 cm wide, of the tabulate coral Heliolites from the Silurian of England

Fossil tooth of a mastodon, Mammut Amercanum

Fossil skull of a primitive horse
Fossil skull of Equus Plesippus Soshoneisis, a primitive horse

Labyrinthodontier fossil, of the amphibian Actenodon Latirostris, from the lower Permian

Fossil forest in Dorset
Fossil forest in Lulworth, Dorset

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"Fossilised: A Glimpse into Earth's Ancient Secrets" Step back in time with us as we explore the fascinating world of fossils, where history comes alive through these preserved remnants. From an awful changes cartoon to ancient footprints, each fossil tells a unique story of our planet's past. Let's start our journey at Laetoli, Tanzania, where the fossil footprints of early humans provide a glimpse into their daily lives. These imprints offer clues about their movement and interactions thousands of years ago. Moving on to the Archaeopteryx fossil, known as the Berlin specimen C016/5071, we witness nature's incredible transformation from dinosaurs to birds. This remarkable find bridges the gap between reptiles and avian creatures, shedding light on evolution itself. Speaking of human ancestors, Homo erectus (Sangiran 17) stands tall among them. Unearthed remains hint at their existence and raise questions about how they interacted with other hominid species like Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. Venturing into marine realms now, we encounter extinct marine reptiles that once ruled prehistoric oceans. The Asteroceras ammonite takes center stage with its intricate shell design that has been preserved for millions of years. Trilobites join our expedition too – these arthropods thrived in ancient seas before meeting extinction long ago. Their well-preserved exoskeletons offer valuable insights into Earth's early ecosystems. Intriguingly trapped within Dominican amber lies a tiny mosquito frozen in time. This minuscule creature provides scientists with invaluable genetic information from eras long gone by. Diving deeper underwater reveals another astonishing find – Ichthyosaurus acutirostris fossils unveil an aquatic reptile that once swam gracefully through ancient seas. These specimens allow us to reconstruct this magnificent creature's appearance and lifestyle.