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Native American & Pre-Columbian Artifact Auction

Lot 597:

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14" x 11" Eocene Fish Mortality Plate – Knightia eocaena (Green River Formation)

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Start price: $10

Estimated price: $15 - $10,000

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Description

Offered is a beautiful and highly presentation-worthy vertebrate fossil mortality plate measuring approximately 14" x 11". This exceptional specimen features a mortality layer of multiple Knightia eocaena fish elegantly preserved on a classic light-tan, laminated limestone matrix.


Knightia was a small, schooling freshwater fish closely related to modern-day herrings and sardines. Slabs containing multiple overlapping specimens like this are known as "mortality plates, " which capture a single catastrophic event, such as a sudden temperature drop or an algal bloom, that caused a mass die-off in the ancient lake system.

The dark brown coloration of the fossilized fish creates a striking, high-contrast aesthetic against the natural cream-colored limestone background, making it an excellent display piece for both seasoned paleontological collectors and interior design enthusiasts alike.