Shipping Large Fossils

Statement of Purpose

This page presents recommendations on how to pack and ship large fossils to prevent damage during shipment.

Contributors

Carrie Eaton and Jessica Cundiff

Introduction

Packing large fossils properly is important to prevent damage in transit when shipping these objects for loans and research. It is important to consider the large size and weight of these specimens when determining the best materials and methods for their packing and transport.

Shipping Large Fossils

Important things to remember when packing fossils:

1. Try to pack so as to minimize how much of the object needs to be handled
2. Package materials in such a way to limit how much an object needs to be handled in order to be unpacked or unwrapped
3. Utilize the "box-within-a-box" method to create a "floating" package surrounded by shock absorbing material to limit potential damage from impact or handling