Anwers to your questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you will find interesting and useful information on questions that have often been asked in the Henssen PalaeoWerkstatt. But of course I am also there for you personally.
Do you deal in fossils?
No, we do not trade in fossils. However, we can prepare and preserve your purchased fossils.
I have found a fossil, what now?
Tip: Correct behaviour when finding a fossil
In Germany the laws on the protection of archaeological monuments vary from state to state. If you find fossils, you should first find out about the local regulations before excavating them. They depend on the place of discovery. Report the find to the Lower Monument Authority in the local authority or the building inspectorate. Unfortunately, the responsible authorities do not always know the facts, which is why it is advisable to contact a larger museum with a geological department in the federal state where the find was made or the responsible state office. The expert named to you can then decide whether the find is of public interest or not. If necessary, he or she can record the necessary find data, which is part of the scientific description of an object and which can be important for determining the age of the find, for example. This data increases the value of a find. They should also be able to inform you about the next steps.
The authorities are usually very busy, so it often takes a long time to get a response. Report the find in writing, possibly with a photo, so that you have proof. Be patient and do not dig where it is not allowed. In most cases a good agreement can be reached.
If you have already excavated the fossil because you were unaware of the legal situation or could not wait, be sure to report the find later, giving as precise details as possible of where it was found. In case of doubt, a late report is better than no report at all.
No general advice can be given for the treatment of a fossil after it has been recovered. As a general rule, do not wait long to prepare the fossil, because as soon as it has been removed from its environment, which has preserved it for thousands of years, decay can set in. If possible, leave the fossil as it is, i.e. no cleaning, no watering, no drying. Wrap it up in an airtight bag and store it in a cool, dark place. Seek advice from a specialist. I will be happy to advise you.
I want to buy a fossil. What should I look out for?
Ask questions and trust your common sense. Look at the fossil personally under a magnifying glass. Fossils are not catalogue goods. They are not made rarer or more valuable by windy stories about finding circumstances and rarity.
As a general rule, if you want a fossil to have scientific value as well as look beautiful, you should know the exact location, age and finder of the fossil. Do not accept certificates, as they usually only look legitimate and have no legal relevance. Fossils that have already been prepared should be supplied with a preparation report detailing the preparation measures and the materials used. Should restoration be necessary at a later date, this information is worth its weight in gold.
Talk to the dealer. A reputable dealer will be happy to answer the following questions.
Where does the piece come from; location, age and finder?
Is it an original or a cast, are there any additions?
If it has been prepared, there should be a preparation report with the measures taken and the materials used. Can I have a look?
Reconstructed parts should always be easily recognisable at second glance. Unfortunately, even fantastic forgeries are sold at high prices as originals. Fossils are not coloured and varnished to a high gloss. As a rule, you should prefer largely unprepared fossils and have them prepared by a taxidermist you trust. Unfortunately, it is very common for fossils to get a quick but bad fossil preparation for sale, because they can then be sold for three times the price.
What is the legal situation?
We work in accordance with the applicable laws and will be happy to provide you with non-binding information on specific matters. If you would like to find out for yourself, please contact the relevant authorities. The regulations may vary from state to state in Germany.
* Responsible state offices for the preservation of archaeological monuments
* Protection of species in Germany
Do you offer zoological taxidermy?
I do not offer dermoplasty or other animal preparations. But I do work with taxidermists and will be happy to recommend a colleague to you. However, you are also welcome to search for a taxidermist on the website of the Deutschen Gesellschaft für Präparationstechnik e.V. .
Do you also make casts?
Yes, we have a great deal of experience in the careful production of moulds, even for very delicate fossils, and in making deceptively realistic casts from various positive materials.
Depending on the later destination, we produce positives from concrete, plaster, various plastics, some of which are reinforced with glass fibre, e.g. epoxy resin, polyester resin, polyurethane, which are then coloured by hand to match the original. The casts are suitable for exhibition purposes as well as for scientific processing.
Is it possible to borrow models from you?
No, most of the models are custom-made, which I produce specifically to customer requirements and therefore do not have in stock.
What are the models made of?
The materials used to manufacture the models are customised to the desired purpose. As a rule, however, the models are made entirely of plastic. Large models are reinforced with glass fibres so that we can achieve high stability with the lowest possible weight.
How do we know what the extinct animals looked like?
Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly. Scientists are endeavouring to reconstruct the habitus of the animals on the basis of skeletal finds. However, skeletal remains are rarely complete and not all the characteristics of an animal can be recognised from them.
An example of this would be the hedgehog. Let’s assume that we don’t know any hedgehogs and find a hedgehog skeleton. The bones would be beautifully preserved, but everything else would be missing, such as skin and spines. We examine the skeleton and compare it with other animals we know. We find out that it is a mammal that walked on four legs and had teeth like an insectivore. In order to get a better idea of what the animal might have looked like when it was alive, a model is now to be built.
The skeleton will be assembled and the muscles and tendons modelled. Most mammals have skin and hair, our hedgehog could also have this, because we have no proof that it is different.
What would our reconstructed hedgehog look like without spines?
How to become a preparator or taxidermist
The job title ‘taxidermist’ was not included as a recognised profession in the register of trades in 1956 and is therefore unfortunately not legally protected in Germany.
Nevertheless, many people work professionally as preparator in the fields of medicine, and geosciences or as taxidermist at museums, institutes and in the private sector. The only legally recognised title in germany is that of ‘state-recognised taxidermy assistant’ in the respective field.
We attach great importance to good training, but do not provide training ourselves.
Further information on training opportunities and the professional profile can be found here.