Pterodactyl bone find rewrites Denmark's prehistoric history
A unique discovery has been made in a Danish town. Although the find is tiny in size, it holds great significance—it's a fragment of a pterodactyl bone.
28 October 2024 18:14
The Østsjællands Museum, located in the Danish town of Faxe, shared information about the find. One of its conservators discovered the fossil at Stevns Klint, one of the most impressive cliffs in Zealand, Denmark, about 37 miles south of Copenhagen. This is a well-known destination for seekers of prehistoric remains.
A special discovery
The find was tiny. It measured only about 0.2 inches long and 0.05 inches wide. Despite such small dimensions, it garnered significant interest from the museum staff. The shape and mass of the fossil indicated that it belonged to a bird or a pterodactyl. The results of palaeontological research have left no doubt that the fragment comes from a dinosaur's wing, likely from the finger supporting its outer part.
"This is the first proof that a pterodactyl inhabited the area that one day became Denmark," stated a Facebook post on the museum's profile.
"Like winning the jackpot"
"Huge congratulations to the conservator and discoverer, Sten Lennart Jakobsen, who found the bone fragment," stated on Facebook.
"In over 50 years of collecting fossils at Stevns Klint, I never imagined I could find a piece of pterodactyl. It was like winning the jackpot in the lottery," said the finder, as quoted by Danish media.
On 26th October, in connection with what was then Fossil Day, tourists were able to see the bone fragment with their own eyes. It is displayed under a microscope at the museum, allowing for close examination.
