Van Der
Geer AAE, De Vos J,
For the new exhibition in the Museum
of Palaeontology and Geology of
the University of Athens a
skeleton of the endemic Pleistocene
Cretan deer was mounted. This
deer differs from all known
recent and extinct mainland deer, mainly in
its proportions. Measurements and comparisons confirm this observation, but are not
enough to make the public
realize its impact. A mounted
skeletonon the contrary makes it at once
clear that this deer had
considerably shortened limbs, especially the metapodals, whereas the body
lengthand the vertebral column length are rather
normal. The overall impression is closer to
that of an
insular dwarf bovid like Myotragus
than tothat of a small
deer such as the spotted
deer (Axis axis). The first problem to
be tackled was the selection
of the material.
Since a complete
articulated skeleton has never been
found, a composite had to
be made. For this purpose,
only bones of size class
II (de Vos,
1979; Dermitzakis & de Vos, 1987) coming from one layer
of one cave
(Liko Cave, layer B) were
selected. In this way a
narrow geological range was assured.
Subsequently, the available specimens were measured, and of all
elements the average size was
calculated. Accordingly, of each element
the specimen that came the
most close to the calculated
average was selected. Left and right had
to be of
exactly the same size and
robustness, and adjoining elements had to fit
anatomically. Only in some cases
a missing element had to
be chosen from a different
layer (layers C and D),
but never from a different
cave, and never from a
different size class. Priority was first given
to size, robustness and anatomical fitting, and next to
completeness and colour. Several articulated feet were available, although of the
wrong size or robustness, which were used
in determining the right proportions
and right stance between individual phalanges, tarsal and carpal
bones. The same was valid
for the vertebral
column. For postural aspects, living deer were
used as comparison;
for extrapolation of soft tissue
(intervertebral disks, articulation cartilage) also living deer
stood model.
In order to keep the supporting fabrication as hidden as possible, an internal metal armature was inserted in the bones through drilled holes and fixed with polyurethane glue. The complete skeleton is fabricated in ready-to-assemble modular parts for easy transportation and reassembly on the spot. Minor missing parts (mainly vertebral processes, costal parts and the pelvic wings) have been reconstructed in epoxy putty, based on other Candiacervus elements from Liko or by interpolating the best fit between two existing parts. For a better impression of the fossil material, traces of the original matrix were left on the bones. A cast of the skull of the type specimen of size II of de Vos (1979) and a cast of the type specimen of antler type 1 of de Vos (1984) were made to complete the skeleton.