About "The Fossil Collection at the Jura-Museum Eichstätt"

The Collection

The catholic priest seminary Collegium Willibaldinum in Eichstätt owns an important natural science collection. It is curated and scientifically supervised by staff from the State Natural Collections of Bavaria, based in the Jura-Museum Eichstätt, where a selection of these fossils is exhibited. The collection comprises a huge number of fossil specimens, among them the world’s largest collection of fossils from the late Jurassic Solnhofen Plattenkalk (Franconian Alb, Bavaria, Germany). Most famous are the Eichstätt specimens of Archaeopteryx and the Juravenator. The fossils from the Solnhofen-Archipelago in the collection of the Jura-Museum Eichstätt are from different localities and geological basins. The collection is enlarged by scientific excavations in special localities, among them Schamhaupten (1989–1998) and Ettling (2007–ongoing). Studies on taxonomy, systematics and paleoecology keep being carried out in this collection from scientists all over the world.

Data Project and Service

The data project "The Fossil Collection at the Jura-Museum Eichstätt" provides more than 3,100 data records on fossils, mainly from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen Archipelago, including more than 3,800 linked images. The high resolution images are done with the digitalization station described under Digitalisation at the JME. A measuring scale and a colour checker chart are used to achieve the required international imaging standard. "The Fossil Collection at the JME" is considered as “work in progress” with the general aim to make the collection at the Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns accessible through national and international internet portals. The data project uses Diversity Workbench components, the taxonomy and nomenclature follows the concepts of up-to-date research. Data mobilisation and digitalisation efforts are mainly done by Dipl.-Geol. Martin Ebert on a voluntary basis.

The data collection "The Fossil Collection at the Jura-Museum Eichstätt" is curated and expanded by staff members of the Jura-Museum Eichstätt. Notices of errors of any kind are much appreciated by the editorial staff. Technical support is provided by the IT Center of the Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns.

The Database "The Fossil Collection at the Jura-Museum Eichstätt" and – if not stated otherwise – its supporting files have been copyrighted © 2021–2024 by the Jura-Museum Eichstätt.

Please cite the data publication via GBIF as follows:
Ebert, M. and Ifrim, C. (2021 onwards). The Fossil Collection at the Jura-Museum Eichstätt. – Accessed via http://www.gbif.org/dataset/44c26867-9738-4ac5-9213-f612b0ef3197 on 2021-XX-XX. Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns. doi:10.15468/qi5so7.