Kentrosaurus Fossil Shoulder Spike, Late Jurassic Tanzania 24″ inches

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East Africa, Tanzania, Late Jurassic, ca. 152 million years old. An exceedingly rare shoulder spike from a Kentrosaurus dinosaur, a member of the stegosaurian group of herbivorous dinosaurs, which are characterized by their distinctive rows of large bony plates along their backs and the spikes on their tails. Kentrosaurus was a relative of the better-known Stegosaurus but had spikes that extended along its spine and on the shoulder of each forelimb. Original reconstructions placed these bone protrusions on the hips, but recent discoveries have shown it was the front shoulders and these may have had a horn sheath layer on top. A printed 11 x 8 inch (27.9 x 20.3 cm) photo of the Kentrosaurus skeleton in the Natural History Museum in Berlin is included for reference. This bone core is slightly curved with a thick root and the surface has developed a lovely umber hue. The spike is meticulously prepared and completely free from any stone or sediment, with only some restoration to the tip. Size: 24″ W x 5″ H x 5″ D (61.0 cm W x 12.7 cm H x 12.7 cm D). 10.75″ H (27.3 cm) on included custom stand. Size: 24″ W x 5″ H x 5″ D (61.0 cm W x 12.7 cm H x 12.7 cm D); of stand: 20″ W x 6″ H x 3″ D (50.8 cm W x 15.2 cm H x 7.6 cm D).

Provenance: private Texas, USA Collection; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Berthoud, Colorado, USA collection

Condition: Professionally prepared. Restoration to the tip of spike with new material. Stable fissures and abrasions throughout from fossilization. Overall great condition and a rare specimen.