stage of a fossil deer - Fossil fragment - megaloceros giganteus - 9 cm - 53 cm

The Megaloceros (Megaloceros giganteus), also known as the giant deer, was an impressive extinct cervid that lived in Eurasia and North Africa during the Pleistocene and Holocene (about 400,000 – 8,000 years ago).
The name Megaloceros in Ancient Greek means "from the giant horns." Indeed, the distinctive feature of these enormous animals, capable of reaching up to 2 meters at the withers, was the antlers, which could span an impressive width of 3.5 meters and weigh up to 90 kg.
Contrary to some past theories, the antlers were not an "evolutionary error" that caused its extinction, but the result of sexual selection, used by males in ritualized battles to dominate rivals and attract females. Their annual growth required enormous energy expenditure and intake of large amounts of calcium.
It preferred open environments, such as plains and open forests, and was widespread over a broad geographic area, not only in Ireland, where many of its fossil remains have been found in bogs. It went extinct due to the rapid climatic changes at the end of the last Ice Age. The progressive spread of forests at the expense of open spaces and the scarcity of calcium-rich plants made it difficult to sustain the growth of such large antlers, leading to its disappearance.
Our lot features a significant fragment of a antler with the base precisely where it started to branch from the skull, displaying the entire internal structure.
An extremely particular lot, rich in fascination and mystery, for true enthusiasts of rarities.
The stand is not included; it is made from reclaimed material and used solely for photographic purposes.
Happy bidding."