VIRTUAL TOUR
PRIVATE SHARK &
FOSSIL MUSEUM
of GEORGE POWELL,
NORTH CAROLINA
August of 2009, George
kindly allowed us to take photos of the entire museum to share with you.
Photo of George with Heidi below:
![george154.JPG (129331 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george154_small.JPG)
and George with Netherlands
friends Mark and his son Luuk showing off one of the teeth George
found at the PCS Phosphate mine, and with Laura, Mark's fiancé, who were
thrilled to view his special collections.
He is a National
Treasure, due to his attitude towards the preservation of fossils for
future generations, the many years he spent collecting the fossils he
loves, and his working relationship with the Smithsonian Institute. |
A
shark all made of fossil shark teeth, framed with more shark teeth.
A gift to George around the year 2000
![george1.JPG (137398 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george1_small.JPG)
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A
newspaper article about George and his collection in The Weekly
(Washington Post), Arlington Falls Church, 1998
![george2.JPG (138028 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george2_small.JPG)
Another news article about George, and how he
shares his knowledge of fossils, using some of his 100,000 fossils from
his collection.
![george3.JPG (129535 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george3_small.JPG)
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George
Powell proudly displays his fossil collection which he acquired over the
years. The news article outlines his life "Letter carrier's
hobby turns into historic find"
![george123.JPG (135434 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george123_small.JPG)
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Discovery
Channel, Destination Store featured George Powell and his collection of
shark teeth on display one year.
![george4.JPG (128208 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george4_small.JPG)
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George
Powell's renowned SQUALODON ASSOCIATED SPINAL VERTEBRAE
(Ancient toothed whale) Squalodon
atlanticus/Shark Tooth Whale
This skeleton was reconstructed to show the 20
associated spinal vertebrae as they would have been arranged in
life. Collected over 2 days in Nov. 1990 from the Calvert Formation,
a Miocene age sedimentary formation found along the Potomac River in
Westmoreland County, Virginia. It took six months to repair and
reconstruct this six foot section of the spine. The specimen is
missing its skull, which may have been 3-4 feet long, and about 4' of
tail; so altogeether the whale would have been about 14' in length.
![george9.JPG (157829 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george9_small.JPG)
![george8.JPG (153796 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george8_small.JPG)
Drawing of Squalodon, by Jayson Kowinsky
![george6.JPG (155253 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george6_small.JPG)
Squalodon toothed whale teeth, a tray full
![george83.JPG (140670 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george83_small.JPG)
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FOSSIL
SHARK TEETH - Lee Creek, Aurora NC
RECONSTRUCTED DENTITIONS (i.e. Putting
a jaw of teeth back together again in the right spots) - of Isurus
xiphodon (Extinct mako), Nototynchus (Cow shark), Hemipristis serra
(Snaggletooth shark), Galeocerdo cuvier (Tiger shark), and Carcharhinus
sp. (Gray, dusky & bull shark)
![george147.JPG (125034 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george147_small.JPG)
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PATHOLOGICAL
(deformed) SHARK TEETH
![george140.JPG (142449 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george140_small.JPG)
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Fossil
Shark teeth - Trays of Auriculatis & Chubetensis, ancestors of the
Megalodon
![george28.JPG (144345 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george28_small.JPG)
![george30.JPG (147110 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george30_small.JPG)
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Just
SOME of his collector MEGALODON shark tooth collection
![george10.JPG (149330 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george10_small.JPG)
Fossil Megalodon shark teeth - Trays of
Carcharocles Megalodon
![george32.JPG (137059 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george32_small.JPG)
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Fossil
MAKO shark teeth - Trays of Isurus Xiphodon
![george149.JPG (117688 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george149_small.JPG)
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Fossil
MAKO shark teeth - Trays of Isurus Retroflexus - Desori - Oxyrinchus -
Praecursor
![george35.JPG (140536 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george35_small.JPG)
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Fossil
SAND TIGER shark tooth trays
![george39.JPG (142782 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george39_small.JPG)
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Fossil
HEMIPRISTIS SERRA shark teeth (Snaggletooth), trays
![george41.JPG (151308 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george41_small.JPG)
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Fossil
COW SHARK teeth, trays, Notorynchus Primigenius
![george43.JPG (150748 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george43_small.JPG)
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Fossil
SIX GILL SHARK teeth (Hexanchus), trays
![george45.JPG (141705 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george45_small.JPG)
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Fossil
FALSE MAKO shark teeth - Trays of Parotodus (Benedeni)
![george37.JPG (141178 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george37_small.JPG)
FALSE MAKO SHARK, Pacotodus benedini,
Pliocene, Yorktown Formation, Lee Creek
![george114.JPG (148430 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george114_small.JPG)
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Fossil
THRESHER shark teeth Alopias
![george92.JPG (144470 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george92_small.JPG)
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Associated sets of fossil shark teeth in
matrix, Morocco
![george49.JPG (142720 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george49_small.JPG)
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SEVEN
GILL COW SHARK TEETH Notorynchus primigenius, Miocene, Pungo River
Formation, Lee Creek Mine, Aurora NC
![george109.JPG (146523 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george109_small.JPG)
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SNAGGLETOOTH
Shark (Hemipristis serra; Pliocene, Yorktown Formation, Lee Creek
![george110.JPG (142042 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george110_small.JPG)
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Fossil
MODERN TIGER SHARK, Galeocerdo cuvier, Pliocene, Yorktown Formation, Lee
Creek
![george111.JPG (143341 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george111_small.JPG)
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Tray
of Fossil TIGER SHARK teeth - Galeocerdo - Contortus and Latidens
![george126.JPG (146179 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george126_small.JPG)
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Tray
of Fossil TIGER SHARK teeth - Galeocerdo (Cuvier & Aduncus)
![george128.JPG (151671 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george128_small.JPG)
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Tray
of Fossil DUSKY/BULL shark teeth Carcharhinus sp.
![george130.JPG (152821 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george130_small.JPG)
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Fossil
SHARK VERTEBRAE disks
![george138.JPG (142831 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george138_small.JPG)
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SHARK
CARTILAGE (jaw fragments)
![george136.JPG (143330 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george136_small.JPG)
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GRAY
shark, Carcharhinus sp., Pliocene, Yorktown Formation, Lee Creek
![george112.JPG (135755 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george112_small.JPG)
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A
selection of fresh (modern, white) shark teeth, including great whites,
tiger shark, and six gill shark
![george153.JPG (117442 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george153_small.JPG)
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Gypsum/Selenite crystal with a fossil SAND TIGER SHARK
TOOTH in it, wow!
![george144.JPG (149219 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george144_small.JPG)
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RARE
Isurus Xiphodon Shark Dentition
![george118.JPG (139748 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george118_small.JPG)
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SHARK
TOOTH SETS
9 sets of Shark teeth show a side view of how
a row of teeth moves from back to front of the jaw. Each tooth that
grows is 1-3% larger than the tooth in front of it. Each file (set)
is independent of the others and moves up as needed. The front teeth
are called "Functional teeth", all of the others are called
"unerupted" or "replacement" teeth. |
FOSSIL
SHARK TEETH, in sets
Isurus Hastalis (Mako), Notorynchus
Primigenius (cow shark), Hemipristis serra (
![george22.JPG (133421 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george22_small.JPG)
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FOSSIL MAKO Shark teeth, in sets
Isurus Xiphodon (Mako), Isurus Hastalis
(Big-tooth Mako)
![george23.JPG (148561 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george23_small.JPG)
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FOSSIL
MEGALODON Shark teeth, in sets
Carcharocles Megalodon
![george24.JPG (133028 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george24_small.JPG)
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FOSSIL
SHARK TEETH
Odontaspis Hope Winkleri (sand tiger shark),
Galeocerdo Contorus (Extinct tiger shark), Carcharhinus leucas (bull
shark), Galeocerdo Cuvier (tiger shark) shark teeth
![george21.JPG (132954 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george21_small.JPG)
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OTHER
FOSSILS |
Large
fossil CORAL display, and fossil WHALE VERTEBRAE
![george47.JPG (146944 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george47_small.JPG)
![george48.JPG (154427 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george48_small.JPG)
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Fossil
shell collection
![george12.JPG (146338 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george12_small.JPG)
![george14.JPG (146183 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george14_small.JPG)
and
a well endowed fossil coral that is a sure conversation piece to all
visitors
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Seal
bone (right humerus and right femur), Yorktown Formation, Pliocene, Lee
Creek
![george17.JPG (150875 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george17_small.JPG)
Fossil SEAL and WALRUS bones
![george52.JPG (145457 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george52_small.JPG)
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Fossil
Walrus tusk (left tusk, female), Yorktown Formation, Pliocene, Lee Creek
Mine
![george18.JPG (148837 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george18_small.JPG)
Fossil Walrus tusk, male
![george19.JPG (144763 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george19_small.JPG)
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Bitten
fossil bones
![george85.JPG (149219 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george85_small.JPG)
![george87.JPG (147320 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george87_small.JPG)
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Fossil
bird bones
![george119.JPG (133934 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george119_small.JPG)
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Fossil
WHALE TEETH
![george50.JPG (152272 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george50_small.JPG)
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Fossil
TURTLE parts
![george54.JPG (147601 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george54_small.JPG)
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Reptile
fossils - ALLIGATOR, TURTLE, CROCODILE
![george56.JPG (148057 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george56_small.JPG)
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Porpoise
arm bones (Humerus, radius, ulna), Yorktown Formation, Pliocene, Lee Creek
Mine
![george20.JPG (145441 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george20_small.JPG)
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Fossil
PORPOISE & DOLPHIN TEETH
![george58.JPG (141355 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george58_small.JPG)
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Fossil
PORPOISE & DOLPHIN VERTEBRAE
![george60.JPG (142325 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george60_small.JPG)
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Fossil
PORPOISE & DOLPHIN JAWS
![george62.JPG (142374 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george62_small.JPG)
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FISH
fossils
![george64.JPG (149369 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george64_small.JPG)
Fossil FISH JAWS and GILL PLATES
![george66.JPG (153493 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george66_small.JPG)
Fossil FISH TAILS and COPROLITE
![george68.JPG (152501 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george68_small.JPG)
FISH VERTEBRAE
![george79.JPG (147598 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george79_small.JPG)
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Extinct
EAGLE RAY MOUTH PLATE (Upper teeth), Aetobatus sp., Pliocene, Yorktown
Formation, Lee Creek Mine
![george72.JPG (141393 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george72_small.JPG)
Ray Dental plate, Aetobatus sp. Narinari,
Yorktown formation, Pliocene, Lee Creek Mine
![george16.JPG (145277 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george16_small.JPG)
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STINGRAY
MOUTH PLATES - Aetobatus - Myllobatus
![george73.JPG (149173 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george73_small.JPG)
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STINGRAY
BARBS and SCUTES (back denticles)- Aetobatus - Myllobatus
![george75.JPG (150901 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george75_small.JPG)
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Fossil
crab claws
![george88.JPG (147666 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george88_small.JPG)
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Fossil
crab parts
![george94.JPG (149441 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george94_small.JPG)
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Fossil
Crabs (Archacplax)
![george98.JPG (148963 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george98_small.JPG)
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Crabs
Libinia
![george100.JPG (151404 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george100_small.JPG)
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Crabs,
Cancer
![george104.JPG (147294 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george104_small.JPG)
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RARE
FOSSIL SEAL VERTEBRAE
A new species, the only type of bone of its
kind
![george122.JPG (148016 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george122_small.JPG)
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SPERM
WHALE, lower central FOSSIL TOOTH
![george134.JPG (128479 bytes)](Sharks%20Photos/george134_small.JPG)
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