Fossilised egg - 32 cm - 22 cm

Prepared egg of Aepyornis maximus with small feeding hole, No. XIV. Weight: 1700 g, circumference crosswise (measured at the midline): 70 cm, circumference upright (measured at the midline): Length 86 cm, height 32 cm, width / maximum diameter at the thickest point 22 cm.

The Vorompatras were the only giant flightless birds that were still observed, hunted, and exterminated by humans. The endemic, Madagascar-only “elephant bird” is said to have lived from the Pleistocene into the 17th century. Up to its extinction it served as a food source for locals and passing ships. The legends of the Malagasy (ethnic groups Mahafaly, Atandroy and Antanosy) recount that in “ancient times” even the settlements of the indigenous people were placed near the nesting sites of the flightless bird, as these were excellent sources of nourishment. These places were regarded as sacred even after the birds were gone and were treated as secret knowledge. To this day eggs remain in family possession, kept as heirlooms and “curious treasures,” but are sold only in absolute exceptional cases.

In science, first described in 1870 by the French researcher Granddidier as “Aepyornis maximus” or earlier also Aepyornis titan (the largest of four species in the genus Aepyornis), it was similar to the modern African ostrich. A giant flightless bird, its measurements exceed 3 m, with a weight of about 500 kg. The eggs are larger than all previously found dinosaur eggs. As they were the largest eggs in the world, biologically they are also the largest known cells in the world. The Aepyornis was the inspiration for the bird “Rock” from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, which recounts the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor. In Arabic tales, the “elephant bird” is often mentioned, said to be so strong that it could grab an elephant and fly away with it. The “elephant birds” lived roughly at the same time as the well-known New Zealand giant flightless birds, the moas, which went extinct in the 19th century. Like the extinct moas, the living Australian emus and South American rheas, the elephant bird had three toes. The Aepyornis was not related to the New Zealand moas. The content of an 8 to 9 liter egg, six times larger than an African ostrich egg, 150 times larger than a chicken egg.

Unprocessed, unbroken eggs, without additives, belong to post-fossil rarities and are extremely rare. These specimens have fetched prices of over €100,000. More commonly, the indigenous people possess complete clutches of hatched chicks. The associated broken eggshells are kept as treasures and sometimes reassembled. The egg offered here was artfully reconstructed by an experienced preparator in Madagascar from the original shells of a clutch. As is common in museum technique, the original state of the object has been restored in this way. The remaining joints were sealed with ground shells and calcium carbonate binders. The resulting collectible displays the original splendor of the natural fossil and enables acquisition at a much more affordable price than an unprepared egg. In any case, it is a one-of-a-kind piece for any collection and a witness to fossil history. This egg comes from a family collection from the 1970s to the 1990s. Today the export from Madagascar is prohibited.

Delivery includes a foldable rosewood stand or a Plexiglas ring (please indicate preference), a certificate, and a specialist brochure by Ernst Probst covering all findings about the elephant birds.

If you are seriously interested, I am happy to provide all available provenance documents of the object as copies.

Delivery and viewing by arrangement.

Source of photos: From Monnier - source, Monnier digimorph org, Wikimedia, private collection