«FOR THE LOVE
OF THE TRILOBITES»
Where does our insatiable appetite for trilobite specimens and information on them arise from? We can point to several possible answers and then to all of them combined to explain the tremendous interest there is among scientists, professionals, and collectors in what is generally, but affectionately, often referred to as «bugs».
Perhaps we are intrigued by the idea of highly successful creatures that once ruled the planet and despite their superior qualities of design and overwhelming presence now are known only by their fossilized remains. The family of trilobites numbered in the thousands, and were the most adapted and successful creatures to inhabit the Earth up to that time. The varieties were highly diversified and developed into wildly varying shapes with distinct specialized features developed for very specific functions.
Perhaps we are mesmerized by the ideas of an alien world that was Earth long before we where here, and recognize that change is constant and inevitable. Enjoy your time in control of the planet and at the top of the food change, as the fossil record tells us, each species will have its time, but supremacy is only a temporary state. After the USSR government was changed to a more open and Democratic type political system in 1991, many trilobite specimens started to show up on the world stage at international fossil shows.
Collectors and professionals alike were fascinated not only by the high quality of preservation, but also the vast varieties of different types of trilobites. Interest in these «new» specimens and information about them were now in high demand. Many previously unknown trilobites were now showing up, and background research and a dependable reference book was urgently needed. Although Russian Paleontologists had done varying amounts of research through the years, the information was incomplete and never completely cataloged into one reference book. Through the efforts of «Petersburg Paleotological Laboratory» and more specifically, Arkadiy Evdokimov, this book will serve as the most comprehensive guide available today to the many different trilobites that have been discovered and researched in the Russian realm.
There are noticeable and tangible benefits from the high interest in the fact that the diggers and preparers were able to realize personal monetary gain from their efforts. They realized that to satisfy the needs and demands of the collectors and museums, the diggers and preparers must develop their skills and techniques to levels never before seen. The end results to their hours of patient and precise prepping are stunning, and have given the world specimens of amazing features and details not seen since the trilobites were in control and possession of our planet.
Enjoy this work of love and dedication.
Richard HIGHTOWER
Owner/The Stones & Bones Collection
