Fossil preparation

Fossil preparation is the removal of surrounding rock and other material from a fossil, followed by steps that stabilize it for study or display.

Mechanical preparation: The removal of unwanted material from a specimen using hand tools or powered instruments. Air scribes, needles, and abrasives expose fossil surfaces by breaking or cutting away matrix.
Quarrying (paleontology): The systematic excavation of fossil-bearing deposits to recover specimens and their geological context. Large blocks are often jacketed and transported before laboratory preparation begins.
Fossil: Preserved remains, traces, or chemical evidence of past life in geological contexts. The fossil’s material and preservation state determine how it can be exposed and stabilized.
Fossil conservation: The care and treatment of fossil specimens to preserve their condition over time. Conservation prioritizes long-term stability, while preparation focuses on exposing material for examination.
Chemical preparation: The use of chemical reactions to dissolve or weaken material around a specimen. Acids or other reagents can separate fossil material from matrix when their effects are selective.
Field jacket: A protective plaster or other covering applied around a fossil-bearing block for transport. It preserves fragile specimens and their matrix during excavation and transport.
Paleontology: The scientific study of life in the geological past through fossils. Preparation makes specimens accessible for paleontological observation and analysis.
Computed tomography: An imaging method that uses X-rays to create cross-sectional and three-dimensional views of an object. Tomography can examine enclosed fossils without physically removing their matrix.
Air abrasion: A technique that propels fine abrasive particles with compressed air to remove surface material. It can clear small matrix deposits from delicate structures under magnification.
Pedestaling (paleontology): The excavation of a fossil-bearing block while leaving it supported on a pedestal of surrounding sediment. It helps prepare a block for wrapping and removal without losing support.

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