Látnivaló
Aurochs skull
Remains of a wild ancestor of cattle displayed beside the skull of an ancient cow.
A tartalom nyelve
The aurochs skull is displayed alongside a cow’s skull from the same period. These palaeontological finds offer a comparison between a wild animal and its domesticated counterpart. The aurochs, Bos primigenius, was an ancestor of some domestic cattle. Adult bulls stood about 1.6-1.9 metres at the shoulder and weighed 800-1,000 kilograms. They had powerful, widely spreading horns, while females were noticeably smaller. Although only part of the skeleton, the skull and horns preserve the distinctive proportions of this large mammal’s head.
The last herd in the Jaktorów Forest in Mazovia received royal protection. Appointed wardens guarded the animals, supplied hay in winter and reported herd numbers. Protection required daily work and restrictions on people’s use of woodland and grazing land. Nevertheless, the population declined. Only four aurochs remained in 1601, and the last female died in 1627. The specimen is a physical trace of a species once found in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. Its comparison with a cow’s skull connects extinction with the history of cattle domestication.
Gyerekeknek
Beside the aurochs skull is a cow’s skull from the same period. The aurochs was a wild ancestor of some domestic cattle. It had large horns, and an adult bull could weigh between 800 and 1,000 kilograms. Females were smaller.
The last aurochs lived in the Jaktorów Forest in Mazovia. Royal wardens guarded them, fed them hay in winter and counted the remaining animals. Despite this care, the herd declined. In 1601 it had only four members. The last female died in 1627. Comparing the two skulls helps explain wild and domesticated animals, and the history of a species that can no longer be seen alive.
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