Learn more about the history of the extinct Giant Deer and the discovery, restoration and preservation of its skeleton which is housed at the Manx Museum.
Manx National Heritage conservator Christopher Weeks will give a talk exploring the history of the Ice Age giants entitled ‘Megaloceros Giganteus: Conserving the Giant Deer’ at the Manx Museum on Saturday (May 21).
He will talk about the discovery and excavation of the museum’s 12,000-year-old Giant Deer skeleton by the Victorian ‘Irish Elk Committee’ in 1897, a cast of famous British scientists and craftsmen who reconstructed the skeleton.
The specimen was discovered in St John’s and stands at 1.7 metres tall and has an antler span of 2.6 metres.
Christopher will also discuss the conservation work carried on the deer, also known as an Irish Elk, to protect and preserve the specimen and about the Isle of Man as it was 12,000 years ago.
In 2015, the skeleton was carefully removed from its display and moved to a specialist conservation facility within the museum as part of refurbishment work at the building.
Christopher and Lucie Graham, natural history conservator from Lancashire Conservation Studios, studied and laser cleaned the remains.
He said: ‘During the cleaning process, we discovered the meticulous and careful work of Caleb Barlow of the Natural History Museum in London, who visited the Isle of Man in summer 1897, at the invitation of Manx antiquarian and historian P.M.C. Kermode to articulate the skeleton.
‘Over 100 years on, many of Barlow’s repairs needed specialist attention and had to be replaced. Samples of tooth and bone were taken for DNA testing and dating by carbon 14 analysis. With this data we may be able to tie the Manx deer to his cousins in Ireland, Scandinavia and Russia.’
The iconic skeleton was re-displayed as the centerpiece of the new Geology Gallery at the Manx Museum last month after six months of specalist work.
Doors open for the talk at 2pm for a 2.30pm start.
Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for children and students.
They are available from the Manx Museum Gallery Shop in Douglas and can also be purchased online at www.manxheritageshop.com