Fossilised egg - 32 cm - 22 cm

Prepared egg of Aepyornis maximus with small intake hole, No. XIV Weight: 1700 g, circumference across (measured along the midline) : 70 cm, circumference tall (measured along 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 by humans, hunted and exterminated. The endemic, Madagascar-only “elephant bird” is said to have lived from the Pleistocene to the 17th century. It served as a food source for the locals and for passing ships up to its extinction. The legends of the Malagasy (ethnic groups Mahafaly, Atandroy and Antanosy) report that in “old times” even the settlements of the indigenous people were built near nesting sites of the flightless bird, as these were excellent food sources. These places were regarded as sacred and considered secret knowledge even after the birds were exterminated. To this day, there are still eggs in family possession, treated as heirlooms and “curious treasures,” but are sold only in absolute rare cases.

In science, first described in 1870 by the French researcher Granddidier as “Aepyornis maximus” or earlier also Aepyornis titan (the largest of the four species of the genus Aepyornis), it was similar to today's African ostriches. A giant flightless bird, its height over 3 m, with a weight of about 500 kg. The eggs are larger than all previously found dinosaur eggs. Since they were the largest eggs in the world, biologically they are also the largest known cells in the world. The Aepyornis was the model for the bird “Rock” from tales of One Thousand and One Nights, which recount Sindbad the Sailor’s adventures. In Arab tales, the “elephant bird” is often mentioned, said to be so strong that it could seize 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 had become extinct only 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 8 to 9 liters, six times more than that of the African ostrich, 150 times more than that of a chicken egg.

Untreated, unbroken eggs, without additives, belong to post-fossil rarities and are exceedingly rare. These specimens have fetched prices well over €100,000.00. More commonly, the indigenous people find complete clutches of hatched chicks. The accompanying broken eggshells are kept as treasure pieces and sometimes reassembled. The egg offered here was carefully assembled by an experienced taxidermist in Madagascar from the original shells of an actual clutch. As is common in museum technique, the original state of the object was restored in this way. The remaining seams were sealed with ground shell and calcium carbonate binders. The resulting collectible displays the original splendor of the fossil and allows purchase at a much more affordable price than an unprepared egg. In any case, it is a one-of-a-kind piece in every collection and a witness to fossil history. This egg comes from a family collection dating from the 1970s to the 1990s. Today export from Madagascar is prohibited.
Delivery includes a foldable palisander wood stand or a plexiglass ring (please specify preference), a certificate, and a Fachbroschüre by Ernst Probst on all knowledge about elephant birds.
I am happy to supply, upon serious interest, all available provenance documents of the object as copies.
Delivery and viewing by appointment.
Source of photos: From Monnier source, Monnier digimorph org, Wikimedia, private collection