Dubai Set to Host Middle East’s First Dinosaur Skeleton Auction

A 155 million-year-old dinosaur skeleton will be up for grabs for lovers of rare collectibles as the Emirates Auction recently announced that it would organize the Middle East’s first auction to sell the giant dinosaur skeleton.

The online auction, which will be staged by Emirates Auction, the leading company in the field of auctions in the region specializing in curating public and electronic auctions, at a starting value of AED 14.6 million and will run until August 25.

Dubai Set to Host Middle East’s First Dinosaur Skeleton Auction
Credits: WAM

155 Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Skeleton up for Auction in Dubai

The 24.4-meter long by 7-meter high skeleton, which dates back to the Jurassic period, is the first of its kind in the world to be set up at the Dubai Mall, as shared in a report by WAM.

Back then, the 25-year old dinosaur weighed up to five elephants and was among the long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs and has a tail tapering to a long, whip-like end to fend off predators.

The dinosaur belongs to the Diplodocus longus family, which gets its name from the Greek words “diplos,” meaning “double,” and “dokos” meaning “beam.”

Of note, the displayed bones belong to the same auctioned animal, which makes it exceptionally special. In addition, nearly 90 percent of the fossil’s bones are authentic, which makes it a stunning discovery in the history of paleontology.

The remains of the adult dinosaur were discovered in a sleeping position at the Dana Quarry in the state of Wyoming, USA in 2008.

The auction will be an ideal opportunity for those looking for excellent materials to supplement their collections with a historic masterpiece rarely found around the world.

Aside from bragging rights, having this remarkable artifact will be of great value for the purpose of research and touristic purposes.

Also, the very first auction in the Middle East will open up the region to more specialized curations in the future, which could also help boost the country’s position in the field of research and collaborative work in the field of tourism and advanced sciences.

Moreover, given the right platform, there will be more opportunities for the youth in the region to explore the field of science, which deals with prehistoric artifacts and contribute to the knowledge base of the world regarding the history of humankind and the planet.

This should be an exciting development for the residents of Dubai and the people in the region, as new resources can and will be made accessible to them for whatever use they may have for them.

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