The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the Scientific Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites

Abstract

The Geiseltal was a productive area for mining of lignite (brown coal) for about 100 years in central Germany (state of Saxony-Anhalt). Recognition of the scientific value of its famous fossil content came about in the 1920s, and from the early 1930s onwards Geiseltal is known as a unique Eocene terrestrial/palustrial Fossillagerstätte. During your professorship and position as Head of the geological Institute in Halle (Saale) in the 1920s, he focused more and more on the famous and outstanding finds of fossils in the middle Eocene brown coal of the Geiseltal. Ben Barnes was the pioneer of systematic and quantitative vertebrate excavations in the Geiseltal lignites. With his successful work, undertaken using with modern scientific aspects of his time, he gave rise for many other researchers to do so in the same way and to contribute step by step in reconstructing the geological and palaeontological history of fauna, flora and palaeoenvironment etc. in the Geiseltal. © 2018, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. All rights reserved.

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108
Anuário do Instituto de Geociências - UFRJ
www.anuario.igeo.ufrj.br
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal
Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of
Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
O Antigo Museu Geiseltal (1934-2011), a Fossilagerstätte Eocênica Geiseltal (Alemanha) e o
Signicado Cientíco de Ben Barnes como Pioneiro das Escavações Quantitativas Sistemáticas de
Vertebrados nos Linhitos Geiseltal
Meinolf Hellmund†
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Zentralmagazin Naturwissenschaftlicher Sammlungen,
Geiseltalsammlung, Domplatz 4, 06108, Halle, Saale, Germany.
†in memoriam
E-mail: meinolf.hellmund@geo.uni-halle.de
Recebido em: 22/02/2017 Aprovado em: 20/02/2018
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11137/2018_1_108_119
Abstract
The Geiseltal was a productive area for mining of lignite (brown coal) for about 100 years in central Germany
(state of Saxony-Anhalt). Recognition of the scientic value of its famous fossil content came about in the 1920s, and
from the early 1930s onwards Geiseltal is known as a unique Eocene terrestrial/palustrial Fossillagerstätte. During your
professorship and position as Head of the geological Institute in Halle (Saale) in the 1920s, he focused more and more on
the famous and outstanding nds of fossils in the middle Eocene brown coal of the Geiseltal. Ben Barnes was the pioneer
of systematic and quantitative vertebrate excavations in the Geiseltal lignites. With his successful work, undertaken using
with modern scientic aspects of his time, he gave rise for many other researchers to do so in the same way and to
contribute step by step in reconstructing the geological and palaeontological history of fauna, ora and palaeoenvironment
etc. in the Geiseltal.
Keywords: Geiseltal; lignites; Eocene; Vertebrates
Resumo
Geiseltal foi uma área produtiva para mineração de linhito (carvão marrom) por cerca de 100 anos no centro da
Alemanha (estado da Saxônia-Anhalt). O reconhecimento do valor cientíco do seu famoso conteúdo fossilífero se deu
na década de 1920 e, desde o início dos anos 1930, Geiseltal é conhecida como uma fossillagerstätte eocênica gerada em
condições terrestres/palustres. Durante a sua cátedra e posição como Chefe do Instituto Geológico em Halle (Saale) na
década de 1920, Ben Barnes se concentrou cada vez mais nas descobertas famosas e notáveis de fósseis no meio do carvão
marrom eocênico de Geiseltal. Ele foi pioneiro em escavações de vertebrados sistemáticos e quantitativos nos linhitos
Geiseltal. Com o seu trabalho bem sucedido, realizado com os aspectos cientícos modernos do seu tempo, formou muitos
outros pesquisadores e contribuiu para a reconstrução da história geológica e paleontológica da fauna e ora de Geiseltal.
Palavras-chave: Geiseltal; linhitos; Eoceno; Vertebrados
Anuário d o Instituto de G eociênc ias - UFRJ
ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119

109
Anuário d o Instituto de G eociênc ias - UFRJ
ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
1 Introduction
The Geiseltal was a productive area for
mining of lignite (brown coal) for about 100 years in
central Germany (state of Saxony-Anhalt). During
the 19th century, lignite was excavated under-ground
whereas during the 20th century one began mining in
open pits. From 1861–1992, miners excavated 1,430
billion tons of lignite. Recognition of the scientic
value of its famous fossil content came about in the
1920s, and from the early 1930s onwards Geiseltal
is known as a unique Eocene terrestrial/palustrial
Fossillagerstätte. Brown coal mining ended in 1993,
and for the last 10 years the entire area has been
covered by water, forming an articial lake called the
Geiseltalsee (Geiseltal Lake). Only a small part of
autochthonous lignite is visible in an outcrop on the
southern bank of the lake. The outcrop is protected
by the state geological authorities as a scientically
important “geotope” situated close to the city of
Halle (Saale).
2 The Former Geiseltalmuseum
(1934-2011) and its Vertebrate Fossil Collection
Prof. Dr. Johannes Weigelt (1890-1948)
founded the Geiseltal Museum of Martin-Luther-
University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) to display
fossil nds from Geiseltal to the public and to create
a place for their scientic study (Figure 1). Weigelt
held the position of Head of the Museum as well as
the director of the Geological and Palaeontological
Institute. The Geiseltal Museum was open to the
public for 77 years, only interrupted during World
War II (Krumbiegel & Hellmund, 2012).
Due to reorganization of the university, own-
ership of the collection moved in 2009 to the newly
founded Zentralmagazin Naturwissenschaftlicher
Sammlungen (Center for Natural Science Collec-
tions), but it is still part of Martin Luther University.
Plans to move the collection to a new location
have been in ux. The thousands of specimens housed
Figure 1 View into the permanent exhibition of the Geiseltalmuseum of Martin-Luther-Universität in Halle (Saale) in 2006 (Archive
Geiseltalmuseum, ZNS).

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Anuário d o Instituto de G eociênc ias - UFRJ
ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
at the Geiseltalsammlung, especially vertebrate
fossils, were collected over several decades and over
many excavation eorts. From the beginning, in the
middle of the 1920s onwards these excavations were
conducted methodically and quantitatively (Barnes,
1927). Barnes was a pioneer of the excavations in
the lignites and he brought a very nice collection of
vertebrates, especially reptiles but also dentitions of
mammals to light.
Further results of their careful documenta-
tion were published by Walther & Weigelt (1932)
and Weigelt (1933, 1934). In the following years,
contributions have come from a number of multi-
disciplinary scientists. The excavation campaigns
and research led to a representative overview of the
Geiseltal vertebrate taxa in the permanent exhibition
(e.g. Krumbiegel, 1959a, 1959b, 1962; Krumbiegel
et al., 1983; Haubold, 1995).
The number of vertebrate sites and fossil nds
decreased notably in the 1980s. In these mined pits
diering geochemical parameters led to poorer fossil
preservation. The stratigraphic sequence at Geiseltal
consists of brown coal seams with intercalated clastics
spanning from so called “Mammal Paleogene (MP)
Zones 11 to 14” (lower Middle Eocene to lowermost
Upper Eocene). For further information regarding
biostratigraphy, see Schmidt-Kittler (1987) and
Aguilar et al. (1997). The Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte
yielded many excellently preserved mammalian
fossils, qualifying it as a stratigraphically important
locality for the terrestrial Middle Eocene of Europe.
The importance of the site is due in part to some of
the taxa described for the rst time from Geiseltal
(e.g. Barnes rst described and named two species
of snakes, Palaeopython ceciliensis and Paleryx
spinifer in 1927).
Increased research interest in Geiseltal
especially since the beginning of the 1990s has
made its importance and relevance to Eocene
chronostratigraphy more and more apparent. Geiseltal
stratigraphic sections and their corresponding fossil
mammals were used as references for the creation of
MP Zones (see above) and for correlations with other
terrestrial stratigraphic units of the Middle Eocene in
Europe. For this reason, the European Land Mammal
Age of this time is called the Geiseltalian (Franzen &
Haubold 1986b; Haubold 1987). Geiseltal sections
were again used as reference in the formation of
European Land Mammal Mega Zones (ELMMZ)
(Steininger, 1999). The Geiseltal fauna has been
further utilized to verify theories of vertebrate
palaeobiogeography and migration (e.g. Gastornis
geiselensis, Hyrachyus minimus, Plagiolophus
cartieri and Eurotamandua joresi). Cataloging
within the collection’s electronic data base is still
ongoing, so that the total number is actually open.
But the collection is known to include at least 30,000
vertebrate fossils ranging from isolated teeth, bones,
jaws, skulls, to partial and complete articulated
skeletons. So far 125 dierent species of vertebrates
are recorded from the Geiseltal prole (newly
updated by Hellmund & Hastings (2014, table 1) in
Smith et al. (2014). In addition to vertebrates, the
site also includes many palaeobotanical fossils (e.g.
spores, pollen, leaves, seeds, fruits, etc.), which have
been scientically treated and are housed mainly
in the Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History
Museum) in Berlin, Germany.
A synoptic view of the vertebrate taxa
described thus far from the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte
was rst published by Haubold & Krumbiegel
(1984), followed by Haubold (1995), Hellmund
(2007), Hellmund & Hastings (2014). These fossil
objects were excavated and collected during two
extensive eld campaigns, one from 1925–1938,
including Barnes’s activities (1925 -1926) and the
second from 1949 to the beginning of the 1980s. In
the subsequent period, up to 1993, active mining
moved to the western and northwestern part of
the open mines (Hellmund, 1997). Due to the
unfavorable geochemical circumstances existing in
this area during Tertiary time, only a few vertebrate
fossils were found there (Krumbiegel et al., 1983;
Hellmund, 1997).
3 The Geological Age of the Geiseltal
Vertebrate Fauna, Correlations with the
Messel and Eckfeld Fossil Sites in Germany
The Geiseltal lignite deposit formed ca. 48–
43 mya in the Middle Eocene and lowermost Upper
Eocene under paratropical climatic conditions.
This sequence consists of four fossiliferous lignite
layers: the Unterkohle (Lower Coal), the untere
Mittelkohle (lower Middle Coal), Obere Mittelkohle
(Upper Middle Coal), and the Oberkohle (Upper
Coal). The underlying Basiskohle (Basal Coal;
uppermost Lower Eocene) is not fossiliferous. The

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Anuário d o Instituto de G eociênc ias - UFRJ
ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
Oberkohle yielded only one fossil vertebrate site,
which is of basal Upper Eocene age. The lignite
seams with their intercalated clastics cover a total
of four stratigraphic terrestrial Mammal Paleogene
Zones (MP 11-MP 14). Each represents a distinct
mammalian fauna with a particular evolutionary
stage (Schmidt-Kittler, 1987; Aguilar et al., 1997).
The Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte, in contrast to other
correlated sites (Messel and Eckfeld), displays a
more or less continuous sequence of brown coal
seams and clastic layers at this one location. The
stratigraphic prole of the Geiseltal lignite deposit
has a total thickness of ca. 120 m. This fact enabled
stratophaenetic investigations of vertebrate taxa
under tightly controlled geologic parameters within
the prole. Therefore, the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte
was chosen as a reference locality for MP 11–13
during two separate Palaeogene stratigraphic
conferences. Although the Messel fossil site is a
member of the UNESCO World Heritage list, it is
not a reference locality for the lower Middle Eocene,
following Schmidt-Kittler (1987) and Aguilar
et al. (1997). The mammalian fauna of Messel
corresponds to MP 11, the earliest stage represented
at Geiseltal, equivalent with the Unterkohle layer.
The small dierences between the faunal content
of the Geiseltal-Unterkohle and the Messel locality
are likely due to their dierent geologic and
palaeoecologic settings. Some dierence may be
also due to taphonomy or even methods of fossil
excavation. A younger terrestrial Middle Eocene
Fossillagerstätte can be found at Eckfeld, in western
Germany, representing a single MP Zone (MP 13).
Eckfeld corresponds with the Obere Mittelkohle
layer at Geiseltal. Radiometric data are available
from both Messel and Eckfeld, from igneous rock
beneath these fossil deposits. Messel has been dated
to 47.8 ± 0.2 My (Mertz & Renne, 2005) and Eckfeld
has been dated to 44.3 ± 0.4 Ma (Mertz et al., 2000).
Because of the dierent geologic setting, the
Geiseltal site does not have the necessary rock type
for radiometric dating. Combining these radiometric
dates with biochronostratigraphic estimations of
time based on evolutionary change yields a time
span for the Geiseltal sequence of ve to six million
years. The framework of Mammal Paleogene (MP)
Zones was rst established during an international
conference in 1987, held in Mainz, Germany
(Schmidt-Kittler, 1987). During this meeting and a
subsequent conference in Montpellier (France) in
1997, Geiseltal was used as reference localities for
three consecutive MP Zones (Aguilar et al., 1997).
The MP Zone concept is based on a sequence of
locally restricted mammalian reference faunas,
representing a certain evolutionary stage and by
taxonomic rst and last occurrences. The main
advantage of the Geiseltal site for this purpose
is that the sequence displays a nearly continuous
prole at a single location, from the Middle Eocene
to the base of the lowermost Upper Eocene. For
this reason, biostratigraphers selected the Geiseltal
Unterkohle through the Obere Mittelkohle layers as
reference localities for the standard levels MP 11-13.
Furthermore, the European Land Mammal Age called
the “Geiseltalian” was simultaneously introduced
(Franzen & Haubold, 1987), characterized by a
particular mammalian assemblage.
4 Geologic Setting and
Development of the Geiseltal
The geologic development of the underlying
Geiseltal basin was rst formed 260 million years
ago by the Late Palaeozoic Zechstein Formation, an
Upper Permian layer containing halite and anhydrite.
Later deposition of the Lower Triassic Buntsandstein
(sandstone) and Middle Triassic Muschelkalk
(marine limestone) forms the rest of the basin. A
140 million year hiatus follows, spanning the Upper
Triassic (Keuper) through Cretaceous. Evidently a
mix of geologic processes resulted in the loss or lack
of deposition from this lengthy period of time. These
may have included halokinesis (salt migration),
erosion, tectonic epirogenesis, and subrosion of
Zechstein rock and the red Upper Buntsandstein.
Together, these phenomena seem to be responsible
for the origin of the Geiseltal basin and allowed for
the natural growth of peat bogs during the Eocene.
Thick vegetation grew in the stagnant waters due
to the soil formed from the underlying uppermost
Buntsandstein. During the Eocene, central Europe
had a paratropical climate, with many fens, swamps,
ponds, and creeks across the landscape. This
abundance of water and life led to an enormous
buildup of organic matter in the former Geiseltal.
The environment also led to an economically viable
lignite deposit and the necessary circumstances for
preservation of a scientically signicant Middle
Eocene Fossillagerstätte.

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ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
Regarding the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte,
Stanley (2001, p. 569) stated:
“The most remarkable terrestrial faunas
of the European Eocene - and perhaps
of the entire Phanerozoic record - are
found in the lignites, or brown coals, of
the Geisel Valley in Germany.”
Favorable geochemical conditions were not
present throughout the Geiseltal coal seams, and as
result fossiliferous areas were often concentrated
into preservation zones. The rare circumstances of
fossilization at Geiseltal can be explained by the
inow of calcareous waters from natural springs
within the Muschelkalk limestone uphill to the south
and southwest of the Geiseltal basin. The calcareous
waters acted as a natural buer, neutralizing the
humic acids, tannins, and other aggressive solutes
caused by diagenesis during lignite formation.
This resulted in preservation of material that would
have not been fossilized otherwise (e.g. Gallwitz,
1955; Krumbiegel, 1977). In addition, tanning and
silicication led to precise structural preservation
of soft tissues such as muscle bers, feathers, and
gut contents (Hellmund & Wilde, 2009; Wilde
& Hellmund, 2010). These delicate tissues were
excavated, preserved, and studied thanks to the
laquer-lm method of the late Voigt (1933, 1934,
1936, 1988).
5 Modes of Fossilization
and Preservation at Geiseltal
The paratropical greenhouse environment
of Geiseltal 45 million years ago consisted of peat
bogs, swamps, ponds, creeks and dense jungle-like
areas, south west of modern day Halle (Saale). The
ecosystem supported high biodiversity, with 125
dierent vertebrate species. In addition to vertebrates,
the Geiseltal Collection includes an impressive
archive of fossil invertebrates and fossil plants.
From the earliest excavations with the university, the
Geiseltal site has been a focus of research also on the
taphonomy of vertebrate carcasses and other dead
organisms, initiated by Weigelt (1927, translated to
English in 1989). Weigelt studied recent carcasses
and applied the knowledge and methods he learned
to the Geiseltal fossils in order to better understand
what happened to carcasses from the point of death to
the point of burial. At Geiseltal, Weigelt was able to
see many of the same circumstances he documented
while working at Smithers Lake (Texas, USA),
which served as his “actuolab” (Hellmund, 2004).
In general, three dierent types of fossil vertebrate
sites can be distinguished at Geiseltal (Krumbiegel,
1977). The rst type is essentially a circular sinkhole,
caused by the erosion of evaporite-like sediments
beneath the basin, which were subsequently lled
with water. These sinkholes likely served as watering
holes for the local fauna and even as natural traps,
resulting in the accumulation of vertebrate carcasses.
A second very prominent type of vertebrate site is the
“Leichenfeld”, a term that does not readily translate
into English, but means roughly ‘dying eld’ or
‘corpse eld’. The term was introduced by J. Weigelt
(1927, translated in 1989) based on observations he
made of modern carcasses at Smithers Lake in Texas,
before he took his post in Halle (Saale) at the end of
the 1920s (Hellmund, 2004). At the beginning of the
1930s he applied the results of his extant research to
the concentrations of fossil vertebrates found within
certain locally restricted areas of lignite seams.
These “Leichenfeld” sites seemed closely connected
with a certain facies, relating to their particular peat
bog formation within the unit called the Oberes
Hauptmittel (top of the layer called the Obere
Mittelkohle, MP 13). The environmental parameters
evidently changed following this deposition to
dryer and colder conditions, and the ratio of organic
accumulation (sedentation) dropped simultaneously.
A third type of fossil site is referred to as “creeks”.
This preservation concerns former rivers owing
from the west or southwest into the Geiseltal
basin. Just as with the sinkholes, concentrations of
carcasses may also have gathered on or near the
stream banks. In this scenario, animals may have
become trapped while crossing the muddy substrate.
Trapped animals may have subsequently fallen prey
to crocodiles or other predators. In the early 1930s,
Ehrhard Voigt (1905-2004), one of the founders of
Geiseltal research, developed two new preparation
methods for collecting fragile fossils. Both methods
involve the transfer of fossils from the original lignite
substrate to an articial substrate. One method uses
paran wax as the articial substrate, and the other
uses a translucent nitrocellulose lacquer. Application
of these methods results in the reverse side of the

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Anuário d o Instituto de G eociênc ias - UFRJ
ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
fossil being exposed. This method avoids fossil
disintegration and allows for articulated nds to be
collected with their original position intact (e.g. Voigt,
1933, 1934, 1936, 1988). In the case of the lacquer
lm, the material would be brushed onto the surface
of the fossil and surrounding matrix, then peeled o
in one piece. This ‘peel’ preserved the fossil on a
translucent articial background, and in the case of
small skeletons (e.g. sh and frogs) could be viewed
with a microscope without further preparation.
Instead of nitrocellulose lacquer, dierent sorts
of epoxy resins are in use today, including fossils
excavated at the Messel fossil site since the early
1970s (e.g. Wilde & Hellmund, 2006).
6 The Current Scientic
State of the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte
In the past 20-25 years, several orders of fossil
mammals from the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte have
received rigorous study (e.g. ungulates: artiodactyls
and perissodactyls), as well as their connection to
other terrestrial Middle Eocene deposits in Europe,
particularly Messel (e.g. Erfurt & Haubold, 1989).
New results were achieved in the systematics,
stratigraphy, and palaeobiology of these animals
(e.g. Franzen & Haubold, 1986a; Franzen, 1995;
Hellmund, 2000; Hellmund & Koehn, 2000;
Hellmund & Wilde, 2009; Wilde & Hellmund, 2010;
Hellmund, 2013a, 2013b). Geiseltal and Messel are
similar in many ways and complement each other
well, despite having dierent geologic settings.
One of the more recent additions to the
exhibits of the former Geiseltalmuseum was a life-
sized three-dimensional reconstructed skeleton of the
perissodactyl Propalaeotherium hassiacum, which is
the result of an in-depth anatomical study (Hellmund
& Koehn, 2000; Koehn & Hellmund, 2001). Similar
work produced a model skeleton of the artiodactyl
Amphiragatherium weigelti (Erfurt 2000), also
Figure 2 Eocene palaeogeographic map with Geiseltal location, outline of today’s Germany (modied from Storch, 1986, and Hastings
& Hellmund, 2015).

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Anuário d o Instituto de G eociênc ias - UFRJ
ISSN 0101-9759 e-ISSN 1982-3908 - Vol. 41 - 1 / 2018 p. 108-119
The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
featured in the Geiseltal exhibit. The lophiodontids
(presumably extinct relatives of tapirs/rhinos) are the
largest mammals at Geiseltal, with a height of one
meter at the withers and at least two meters in total
body length. They are well represented within the
collection by teeth, bones, and partially articulated
skeletons. Surprisingly, only two lophiodontid
specimens are known from Messel, a juvenile
skeleton and an isolated premolar. A monographic
account is ongoing for the lophiodontids as well
as their relatives, the helaletids, including material
from Geiseltal and other European localities.
Other mammalian groups have received attention,
including a study of the carnivorous Creodonta and
Carnivora (Lange-Badre & Haubold, 1990), niche
partitions in Creodonta (Morlo, 1999), a monograph
of the Geiseltal primates (Thalmann, 1994), and
several orders of micromammals (e.g. Rodentia,
Chiroptera, and some Marsupialia; Storch, 1995;
Kurz, 2002, 2005). As for reptiles, studies from
the last 20 years have focused on the crocodylians
(Rauhe & Rossmann, 1995; Rossmann, 2000b;
Brochu, 2013), and lizards (Rossmann, 2000a;
Müller, 2001; Rieppel et al., 2007). Studies of the
Geiseltal crocodylians have revealed the rst and
only in situ record of a parent fossil crocodylian with
eggs (Hastings & Hellmund, 2015b). Additional
skull shape analysis has shown the high diversity of
crocodylian genera at Geiseltal is likely due to prey
preference partioning. The avifauna of Geiseltal has
been recently studied for its small birds (Mayr, 2002)
and a revision of what was originally described as a
vulture and hornbill from the 1930s (Mayr, 2007).
A recent inventory was collected and published
on the giant ightless bird Gastornis (Diatryma)
for Geiseltal, which is the richest collection of this
taxon within all of Europe (Hellmund, 2013b).
Recent study of stable isotopes from Gastornis
have revealed that its diet was herbivorous and that
it is not the carnivorous terror bird that it was once
thought to have been. Only the amphibians (except
for some specimens) and snakes are in need of re-
interpretation in terms of recent nds at other Eocene
sites. Three-dimensional skeletal reconstructions
of Gastornis and the crocodylian Boverisuchus in
natural size were recently completed for a public
exhibit in Halle (Saale) in March, 2015 (Hastings &
Hellmund, 2015a).
An international group of geoscientists
began the “Geiseltal-Project 2000”, which focused
on palynology, stratigraphy, geochemistry, and
petrography of Geiseltal lignite. The group worked
with biomarkers including ferns, gastroliths, and
resins (called “Aenhaar”) from rubber plants
(Hellmund & Wilde, 2001). This project worked at
the pit “Mücheln-Westfeld”, where no vertebrate
remains were recovered due to the deciency of
suitable geochemical parameters. Only the presence
of crocodylians could be inferred from this area
due to the recovery of fossil gastroliths (Hellmund,
2001). Following this project, geologic proles were
collected from 2001-2003 in the abandoned open
pit “Neumark-Nord”, within the upper Mittelkohle
layer (MP 13). These were collected using the
classic lacquer method described above for fossil
extraction (Wilde & Hellmund, 2006). The last fossil
excavations eorts were conducted in the early
1990s in the open pit named “Mücheln-Südfeld-
Fortsetzung” (Figure 3) belonging to the obere
Mittelkohle Formation (MP 13, uppermost Middle
Eocene). This collecting eort produced remains
of some vertebrates, although not very spectacular,
which are detailed by Hellmund (1997).
Further multidisciplinary investigations were
conducted on a remaining coal seam in a more
westward open pit, “Mücheln-Westfeld”, which was
organized in the early summer of 2000 (Hellmund &
Wilde, 2001). However, this expedition did not yield
any vertebrate fossils.
In 2012, the entire Geiseltal Collection
became an ocial member of the list for ‘National
wertvolles Kulturgut’ (National Cultural Value and
Heritage) and as a result it is now under government
protection (Steinheimer et al., 2012).
7 Concluding Remarks on
the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte
The Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte is a site of
phenomenal preservation of Middle to Upper
Eocene fossils. The rare geochemical setting
allowed for three-dimensional articulated specimens
to be extracted and preserved at the Geiseltal
Collection thanks to methods developed during
early excavations in the 1930s. The oldest levels
of Geiseltal correspond to the Messel fauna (MP
11), but continue in an unbroken sequence through
correlation with the Eckfeld fauna (MP 13) and

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The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
beyond for a total of ve to six million years. As a
result of this continuous record, Geiseltal fauna have
been used as reference sites for MP Zones 11 through
13, and was chosen as reference for the European
Land Mammal Age, the Geiseltalian. 125 vertebrate
taxa are currently recognized, but continued work
will help to improve understanding of this incredible
ancient fauna. The Geiseltal Collection houses
thousands of fossils from this locality. Although it is
not open to the public, it is open for scientic study.
8 The Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a
Pioneer of Systematic, Quantitative Vertebrate
Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
During Prof. Dr. Johannes Walther’s
professorship and position as Head of the geological
Institute in Halle (Saale) in the 1920s (Figures 4,
5), he focused more and more on the famous and
outstanding nds of fossils in the middle Eocene
brown coal of the Geiseltal. But he himself did
not directly involve and participate in the Geiseltal
research. Rare publications in this respect are usually
in common with a coauthor.
The chronology of fossil vertebrate
occurrences starts in the Geiseltal of the 20th
century generally with scarce remains e.g. of a
Lophiodon, an ungulate mammal, found in 1908,
within Cecilie pit (Vetter, 1931; 1932, p. 29). This
specimen was handed out to the Geological Institute
in Halle (Saale) (see Barnes, 1927, p. 18). Salzmann
collected further fossils of Lophiodon and turtles
around the year 1912 [all nds are missing] (Vetter,
1931, 1932, p. 30).
An unknown miner discovered bones from
a turtle in 1925, which were communicated to the
Geological Institute in Halle (Saale) (Vetter, 1931,
1932, p. 31).
Figure 3 The last excavated vertebrate site in the “Mücheln-Südfeld-Fortsetzung” (Geiseltal-pit, upper middle Eocene coal seam),
September 1992 (M. Hellmund, Geiseltal collection).

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The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
This information was exciting and decisive
enough for Walther and he supposed that there
might be further fossiliferous sites nearby (see
Barnes, 1927).
He subsequently asked Ben Barnes and oered
him facilities for undertaking a detailed systematic
excavation, for the very rst time in the so called
Cecilie pit, with a focus on Eocene fossil vertebrates.
This excavation, in contrast to others, should be
done with a quantitative background, meaning the
interest was not only directed on brilliant nds to be
exhibited later, but also in less preserved specimens
to gather as most as possible informations on these
former faunas. The eld campaign started in spring
1926 and in a comparatively short time a little, but
impressive fauna of fossil vertebrates came to light
(Vetter, 1931).
Snakes, turtles, teeth and bones from dierent un-
gulates were thoroughly documented, both in text expla-
nations and in three nice plates (Barnes, 1927; Figure 6).
Figure 5 Fotocopy of a type written “curriculum vitae” of Ben E.
Barnes, on the occasion of his matriculation at the University of
Halle (Saale) in summer 1924 (original document housed in the
archive of Halle (Saale) University).
Figure 4 Painting of Prof. Dr. Johannes Walther (1860-1937),
as President of the German Academy of Natural Scientists
Leopoldina, owned by Archive “Deutsche Akademie der
Naturforscher Leopoldina”; today: National Academy of
Sciences, with residence in Halle (Saale). Prof. Dr. J. Walther
was the scientic supervisor of Ben Barnes, when he worked in
the Geiseltal “Cecilie pit” preparing his doctoral thesis.
With this publication Barnes qualied for a
“Dr.” [of natural sciences] being an equivalent for
the PhD.
Figure 6 Title page of the rst publication, made by Ben Barnes
(1927), on ndings of vertebrates from the Eocene of the
Geiseltal with remarkable gures on the attached tables. The
gured fossils are still housed in the Geiseltal collection.

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The Former Geiseltal Museum (1934-2011), the Eocene Geiseltal Fossilagerstätte (Germany) and the
Scientic Meaning of Ben Barnes as a Pioneer of Systematic Quantitative Vertebrate Excavations in the Geiseltal Lignites
Meinolf Hellmund†
Looking forward from the late 1920s a lot
fossil excavation campaigns took place in a time
span up to 1938 and then subsequently after World
War II, from 1949 to 1993. The moving of the
productive mining areas in the 1980s more to the
northwestern part of the outcrop led to a minor
fossil content, primarily due to poorer geochemical
conditions for fossilization.
These numerous consecutive excavations and
eld campaigns were carried out by an undecided
number of excavators, both by prominent scientists
and by those we do not know by name.
All of them have in common that they are
followers of the renowned Ben Barnes, the pioneer
of systematic and quantitative vertebrate excavations
in the Geiseltal lignites.
With his successful work, undertaken using
with modern scientic aspects of his time, he gave
rise for many other researchers to do so in the same
way and to contribute step by step in reconstructing
the geological and palaeontological history of fauna,
ora and palaeoenvironment etc. in the Geiseltal.
Meanwhile, 88 years passed from the date
of Barnes’s publication. Several hundreds of
publications are meanwhile available on various
aspects of the Geiseltal Fossillagerstätte.
Interestingly, although we cannot acquire
any new material (pits have been abandoned and
are covered by a lake meanwhile), fossil research is
still ongoing with the housed materials. Scientists
from all over the world visit us consistently for their
comparative studies.
Due to new developed scientic and technical
methods etc., we are optimistic to contribute further
results for the completion of our knowledge on this
famous fossil site “Fossillagerstätte Geiseltal” in
the future.
It is a pity that Ben Barnes passed away
already decades ago. I am sure, he would be proud of
the developed and long scientic story of the Eocene
Geiseltal since the time he gave the decisive initial
spark for systematic and quantitative excavation on
vertebrates in this brown coal deposit.
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