Yes, the Deutsches Meeresmuseum in Stralsund has a few. And then there
is one in Wilhelmshaven. I've just discovered a whole German website
dedicated to whales in Museums:
http://www.cetacea.de/museum/mus_wilhelmshaven.php
Jessica
____________________________
Jessica Grimm MA AIFA
Zooarchaeologist
Wessex Archaeology Ltd
Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wilts. SP4 6EB
Tel No:- +44 (0)1722 326867
Fax No:- +44 (0)1722 337562
Website: www.wessexarch.co.uk
P Before printing, think about the environment
-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greg Campbell
Sent: 07 July 2009 12:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Fw: [ZOOARCH] Biggest degreasing
The Oxford Museum of Natural History also has a suspended baleen whale
in
its central exhibition space, and the mammal hall at the Natural History
Museum, London has several whales hung in the air, including a blue
whale
(which had to be un-suspended, dusted off and vacuumed, and re-hung
about
four years ago). The history of these is probably documented, so the
Victorian treatment for bone de-greasing may be written down somewhere.
I
would guess that de-fleshing and then de-greasing by adventitious
bacteria
during either burial or exposure (rotting, in simple terms). Their
suspended sperm whale was found in Thurso, Scotland in 1863, and donated
in
1865, giving two years to rot down to bone. Perhaps the de-fleshed
bones
got a regular scrubbing with some fierce and simple chemical solution
(lye,
or caustic soda) and rinsing with lots of water.
Any other musuems with suspended whales?
Greg Campbell
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Greg Campbell" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2009 11:14 AM
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Biggest degreasing
> Interesting. The Zoology Museum in Cambridge has a blue whale
skeleton,
> nicely degreased. When I was a child, the skeleton was suspended
> dramatically overhead inside the museum. With the rebuilding of the
museum
> and some decades on, it is in the open air, but under cover. How did
the
> Victorians degrease this without enzymes, I wonder?
>
> Tony Legge
>
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