Hajoula, Lebanon

LATE CRETACEOUS (CENOMIAN):  96 - 92 million years ago

Not to be confused with the common and highly numerous guitarfish, skate and ray fossils found on the market from Lebanon such as Rhinobatos, Heliobatis and Cyclobatis, this is a RECORD-SIZE, RARE and COMPLETE fossil of a ray of the species Rhombopterygia.  The quality and degree of preservation of this fossil is IMPECCABLE and better than ANY example of this species we can find.  It displays fully preserved fins showing natural coloration, a fully preserved stomach and contents in full 3D natural, intact and visible set of jaws with all teeth and a complete skeletal structure and soft body tissue preserved in the stone with natural colors.  The ultimate feature of this investment-grade specimen is the fact that it is more than DOUBLE TO TRIPLE the typical length for this species of prehistoric ray ever found!!!  It is so large that it can easily be appreciated as a large, decorative display specimen as much as it is impressive on a scientific level.  It has both - extreme aesthetics AND rarity - and this is the hallmark of true collector fossils that very few specimens can boast of.  Few fossils in general, are large enough to present on a wall to where one is awestruck.  When you have a fossil that is large enough to appreciate as an interior design focal point AND it is RARE and in a state of preservation that a museum curator would drool over, that is a very select club in the fossil world.  This remarkable specimen easily rises to that level.

This is a MONSTROUS Rhombopterygia ray fossil, complete on a very thick and large limestone place.  The rock it is on is original and the fossil has not been inset into the stone plate.  Furthermore, MANY Lebanese fossils are heavily painted and restored but this specimen has none of those detracting features.  The color you see is 100% authentic and original.  There were a few cracks running through the fossil because it was excavated in pieces due to its size.  The cracks were filled, blended to the piece and the very outer edge portion of the right wing was restored but other than this the piece is 100% AUTHENTIC.  This prize, extremely rare and natural example CANNOT be compared to the majority of large Lebanese shark and ray fossils on the market that are MOSTLY PAINT.  It is quite the norm to take blank rock or rock with only a tiny portion of a fossil body and recreate the entire animal in paint and carving.  The NATURAL presence of very fine details can be seen on close inspection but fakes will lack such detail.  Please see here for further explanation.

We cannot emphasize enough the importance to know who prepared whatever large Lebanese fossil you may consider purchasing because of the prevalence of heavy restoration and painting of these type of fossils.  This specimen sports a natural color and authentic anatomy that nearly every large Lebanese fossil we have seen cannot claim.  How do we know?  We prepared this specimen in our own lab facility (like nearly every piece we offer) and we know first-hand, about the original condition from the quarry owners, of how the fossils are found and what they look like before any work commences on a piece prepared for market.  We have seen some phenomenally good artwork and creative license taken with large shark and ray fossils from Lebanon and those specimens are worth a small fraction of one that has all the authentic, natural color and detail in original form when it was found. 

To allow the safe hanging of this specimen, the rock has a thick epoxy and steel armature reinforcing it on the back.  It comes with hardware for hanging on either a wood-frame wall or masonry wall.  The overall slab thickness is approximately 2-2.5" thick.

This monster-size ray was alive when some of the most famous dinosaurs ruled the planet like Tyrannosaurus rex, and airplane-sized pterodactyls soared overhead.  Such a fossil is really a remarkable example of an uncommon marine creature from the days of the dinosaurs.  Its stunning preservation make this an investment specimen, as well as a highly impressive display fossil for interior design.  It is a prize example for the very discriminating collector seeking to acquire only the best fossils available.  Specimens like this are true investments considering the world-wide appeal of fossils and the demand for the rarest and finest examples such as this. 

LARGEST KNOWN, INVESTMENT GRADE COMPLETE SPECIMEN OF THIS RARE SPECIES WITH COMPLETE PRESERVED NATURAL ANATOMY

100% ORIGINAL FINS, JAWS WITH TEETH AND FULL STOMACH CONTENTS ARE PRESERVED IN THE FINEST POSSIBLE STATE!

36" x 26" overall, ray  is 31" in length and 16" across wing tip to tip

SOLD     SHX024     Actual Item - One Only

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