Fossil turtle 33 million years of rare value worth more than 4,000 USD

A 33 million-year-old fossil turtle skeleton is about to be auctioned in London, England later this month with a starting price of $ 4,340.

Fossil skeletons belong to the ancient turtles wandering on Earth into the Xishin posture (23-33.9 million years ago) at the end of the Ancient Year, according to Hungary Today. The two kilogram fossilized turtle will be sold in London on April 27.

Fossil turtle is 33 million years old.(Photo: BNPS).

At the time of the buried body, the Earth's structure was very different and the land area in South Dakota, USA, was warmer, creating an ideal habitat for turtles. The ancient turtle was unearthed in the barren land of the White River five years ago.

Scientific tests conducted after excavations show that this is an extinct turtle named Stylemys , which lives in temperate and subtropical areas of North America, Europe and Asia. Unlike modern turtles, stylemys have primate-like jaws and herbivores.

Later, the turtle fell into the hands of a private collector. He sold the fossil to Christie's auction house and its estimated value reached $ 4,340.

"The fossil process depends on a range of rare and very rare conditions, especially in turtles. Most dead animals are smeared by scavengers but this specimen sinks into the ground and still After millions of years, it was buried deep and eventually became fossil, "said James Hyslop, chief scientist at the auction house.

The fossil process takes place for a long time when sediments cover the body, making the bones, teeth and tortoise shell covered. Over thousands of years, the rest of the body decomposes and is replaced by limestone materials. The result is a vivid fossil-like form of an animal.