Plaster fossil jackets often require a lot of wrangling, even when they are small. These jackets are constructed in the field with plaster, burlap, and even wood board, designed to bundle together the matrix and heavy fossils. While they make for a secure way to transport material out of the field, a whole new level of ingenuity is required for transporting things as large as whale fossils!

During the Bone Valley Whale Excavations, however, Florida Museum paleontologists did just that. This photo series shows the massive fossil jackets containing the specimens, the equipment that was used to move them along, and the extraordinary teamwork that brought them happily to the museum.

Crew members near fossil, with site landscape visible

Close-up of Gary Morgan creating pedestal for fossil

Fossil in jacket strapped to truck for transport

Group including Danny Bryant (left) and Richard Hulbert (back center) moving the fossil out of the truck and onto the loading dock

Group moving the fossil out of the truck and onto the loading dock

Group moving the fossil off of rollers and into the collection

More

• About the Vertebrate Paleontology archives
• Read more on plaster jackets: Collecting a fossil from the field – Florida Museum Blog
• See photos of plaster jackets being made: Getting Plastered – Montbrook Fossil Dig

Photographs: Vertebrate Paleontology Archives, items S7.3.4.21, S7.3.4.27, S7.3.4.28, S7.3.4.30, S7.3.4.31, and S7.3.4.32