How to Get a Skull Fossil

Research areas that are rich in fossils. Depending on which animal skull you want, you may have to do some traveling. Human and hominid skulls, although extremely rare, have been most commonly found in East Africa along the Great Rift Valley. Find an area near you that has seen fossil findings and search nearby, perhaps in forests or other areas where humans are not likely to go regularly. This will increase your chances of finding something no one has found.

Look in areas with conditions that preserve bodies. Areas with large tar pits or amber deposits will usually contain some fossils due to the nature of amber and tar. Although it is unlikely that a whole skull will be encased in amber, these places are good areas to find fossils of all kinds.

Speak to a local museum curator and ask about their skull collection. Although it is very rare that a museum will sell any of its fossil skulls to you, depending on your purpose, they may lend them out if you are running an exhibition or wish to teach children about fossils. It's more likely they will put the skull on display for you somewhere in the museum where you can see it close-up. Your purpose will have to be valid and you will need credentials for a museum to acquiesce to any request.

Look at catalogs of auction houses that are most likely to offer fossils for sale. Auction houses such as Christie's, Bonhams or Chait (see Resources) have all held fossil auctions in the previous decade. Be prepared to pay a great deal for these, however, with a 65-million-year-old triceratops skeleton selling for £400,000 ($600,000) in April 2008. If you have the money, you can get a fossil skull for a private collection.

Log on to the Internet, and go to a site that sells fossils. They may be able to sell you a small fossil skull. Sites such as "The Fossil Store," "Fossils Direct" or "Langs Fossils" (see Resources) all sell different types of fossils, which may occasionally include a skull.