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N.D. triceratops purchased at auction in Paris
By ELOSIE OGDEN, Regional Editor, eogden@minotdailynews.com
POSTED: April 27, 2008
Fact Box
Fossil digsBISMARCK – Slots are still available for people to take part in fossil digs offered through the North Dakota Geological Survey Paleontology Fossil Digs program and several co-sponsors.
The public digs are: Medora, June 16-21; Marmarth, June 28-July 5; Rhame, July 13-19; and Buffalo Gap, Aug. 3-9.
For more information, call John Hoganson, state paleontologist at the N.D. Geological Survey at 328-8006 or e-mail jhoganso@nd.gov or call Jeff Person, N.D. Geological Survey paleontologist at 328-2803 or e-mail jjperson@nd.gov. Tyler Lyson, of the Marmarth Research Foundation, also can provide information about the Buffalo Gap and Marmarth digs. Information also is available about the digs at (www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs).
– Eloise Ogden
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But there’s been nothing so far from the individual who bought the 25-foot-long, three-horned dinosaur remains that were found in Bowman County in southwest North Dakota.
“We haven’t heard anything. I don’t know who bought it or where it’s at now,” said Hoganson Thursday.
If he does get a call, he hopes the new owner of the triceratops is considering putting it in its home state and in the state museum in Bismarck.
Media reports announced last week that the rare skeleton was purchased by an American collector for nearly $1 million – more specifically, $942,797 – at the renown Christie’s auction house in Paris.
Some of those reports suggested the best spot for the specimen would be in a public museum, where scientists, educators and the general public could see and study it.
That public museum would be the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck administered by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
The N.D. Geological Survey’s paleontology laboratory where Hoganson has his office, also is in the Heritage Center.
Hoganson learned that a triceratops skeleton unearthed in North Dakota was going on the auction block at Christie’s only about a week before the auction date. Hoganson said he “did some digging” to get more information.
“We’re disappointed in those things leaving, but equally important is the fact the scientific information is leaving, too,” Hoganson said.
Hoganson said the triceratops that was sold at the Paris auction house was a 70 percent complete skeleton. The skeleton is reported to be 25 feet long.
“It’s a fairly complete skeleton – these things aren’t common. We don’t have that complete a triceratops in the Heritage Center,” he said.
Hoganson said that according to reports, the triceratops was owned by a German collector who had it displayed in his chateau. The German collector was not identified.
Now someone in the United States reportedly has the triceratops originally from North Dakota.
“Maybe the person will step forward and contact me,” Hoganson said. If they do, he hopes that he or she will want the triceratops returned to North Dakota and to have its home in the Heritage Center.
“Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Hoganson said.
Preparing Dakota
Currently, paleontology staff are spending much time working on Dakota, a rare, mummified dinosaur, getting it ready for an exhibit to open in the Heritage Center in June.
“We’ve got a couple people working on removing the rock from the fossilized skin,” Hoganson said.
He said they plan to have the 8-foot-long tail section completed and one of the arms by the June 14 exhibit opening.
“The big body block weighs 8,000 pounds and will take at least a year (to prepare),” Hoganson said.
Tyler Lyson, of Marmarth and now a graduate student in paleontology at Yale University, found the remains of the 25-foot-long hadrosaur several years ago. The dinosaur remains were recently excavated and then sent to California to be scanned at a Boeing facility. In December, Lyson decided he wanted them returned to North Dakota for preparation and to have them temporarily exhibited in the Heritage Center. He would like to have the dinosaur exhibited in Marmarth someday.
National Geographic is financing much of the work for excavation and preparation of Dakota, Hoganson said.
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