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LARGE WILD BOAR LOWER JAW WITH TEETH - Undisclosed Cave in the Ardennes Forest, Belgium PLEISTOCENE PERIOD: 150,000 years ago This is a very rare opportunity to acquire the only specimen of this kind we have encountered. This is a nearly complete lower left mandible of an Ice Age wild boar, Sus scrofa. It was collected in a cave in the Ardennes Forest in a layer that was dated 150,000 years old. The bone was fractured and has been professionally repaired but there is no restoration or fabrication to any part of this fossil. Because of its rarity, we decided to keep it in this state and since it is nearly complete, any restoration would have demeaned the value and importance of its natural condition. All the teeth except for the lower tusk, are intact and original. All teeth were in the jaw when it was collected and have not been assembled as is common for fossil jaws of any animal. This specimen came from a large male as evidenced by the socket at the anterior of the jaw where a very large lower canine was attached.Most impressive is the nearly complete hinge which is almost never intact in most fossil jaws of any creature. The cave that produced this remarkable fossil specimen was relatively dry and the state of preservation of this and all other fossil remains that were collected there, is of the highest degree. Wild boar remains from the Ice Age are rather uncommon Pleistocene fossils and usually, all that is found is an occasional tusk. Cave finds such as this, are exceedingly rare and a jaw as complete as this specimen could very likely be the only one like it that an individual collector will encounter in their lifetime! The wild boar, Sus scrofa, belongs to the Suidae Family and are artiodactyls or 'even-toed' ungulates. These mammals usually have either two or four weight-bearing toes with hooves. The "cloven hoof" appearance is characteristic of pigs, deer and cattle. Pigs evolved in the Oligocene Period, most likely in Asia and first appeared in Europe during the Miocene Period. They are omnivores and in prehistoric times, lived in a wide variety of habitats including tropical rainforests and dense woodlands. The wild boar is a large and extremely ferocious beast that still survives today. They have a saying in the Balkans that "you take a hunter with you when you want to kill a deer but you take a priest with you when you want to kill a boar". Wild boars are fearless creatures that have been known to attack and many times, kill humans. The most impressive and dangerous weapon of the wild boar is its dagger-sharp lower tusks. Only male boars develop long canines in their lower jaws. The dramatic, curved tusks as well as the robust upper canines are continually growing and rubbing against each other thereby keeping the ends sharp at all times. Often, a boar will attack any animal in its way, swinging its massive head against the body of its unfortunate victim, repeatedly puncturing its enemy's body with swift stabs from its sharp tusks. Wild boar prefer leafy forests and usually live in lairs hollowed out of the ground or thicket. They are predominantly nocturnal and are most active from sundown until just before sunrise. Small groups stick together with a dominant male reigning over a very large area of the forest. Modern day wild boars usually live in the wild for 8-10 years. A VERY UNIQUE AND EXCLUSIVE CHANCE TO ACQUIRE SUCH A COMPLETE EXAMPLE! 10.5" in length $595 LM41-001 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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image above shows actual male Sus scrofa skull with area in square that this specimen consists of
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