Techniques used in the preparation of a Quaternary skull of Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Allekoaitze cave at Ataun (Guipúzcoa, Spain)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.123.2.003Keywords:
cave, Guipúzcoa, palaeotechniques, paleontology, QuaternaryAbstract
A combination of palaeotechniques was used for the conservation of a Quaternary skull of Panthera pardus found in the Allekoaitze cave at Ataun (Guipúzcoa, Spain). The treatment, which allowed the removal of calcium carbonate encrustations and cave soils from the bone surface, included an initial chemical cleaning with sodium hexametaphosphate ((NaPO3)6) followed by mechanical preparation and immersion in weak solutions of acetic acid (CH3COOH). In addition to revealing important skull characters the preparation permitted the successful separation of the jaw, which was attached to the skull by a layer of carbonate cement. The final stabilization of the specimen, together with specific recommendations for its management and conservation, has provided researchers with access to this valuable Quaternary fossil from the province of Guipúzcoa.
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