In 2000, a major archaeological discovery made in Niger by a team led by paleontologist Paul Sereno opened a window onto the "Green Sahara". Called Gobero (GOH-ber-oh), after the Tuareg name for the area, the site revealed a 5,000-year-long drama of changing climate and changing cultures.
One of the most remarkable discoveries at Gobero is the triple burial dubbed the "Stone Age Embrace." An adult female is buried on her right side facing two children, buried on their left side. These people were buried with their arms and legs around each other and holding hands. Four arrowheads were buried in the grave with them, and they were buried on a bed of flowers.
Paul Sereno's vision was to create something unique that would enable people to
- View the burial from both sides.
- Preserve all of the scientific information in place: from the tiniest bones to the original position of the artifacts.
He met with his staff at the University of Chicago Fossil Lab to make a plan. Paleoartist Tyler Keillor brought a "paleo-trifecta" of art, science and innovation to bear in order to help reconstruct this ancient scene.
Smooth-On's Shell Shock® brushable plastic and Mold Max® 10 silicone played an integral role in the reconstruction of this significant fossilized burial site.
Content provided by Gabe Lyon, Project Exploration. Visit the Project Exploration Website Here: www.projectexploration.org
All images copyright Project Exploration
A section of skeleton is coated with a layer of Mold Max 10 silicone.
More layers of Mold Max 10 are applied to reach a thickness of 3/8 in. (1 cm)
After the Mold Max cures, the mold halves are separated.
Shell Shock plastic is brushed into the mold cavity.
After the Shell Shock cures, the pieces are ready to assemble.
The pieces are assembled in a sandbox, and more Shell Shock is brushed around them. Sand is added to give the piece texture.
After the plastic cures, the fossil reproductions are painted.
The final casting captures all of the detail of the original.
The final piece as it appears in a museum installation.
