Sue (Tyrannosaurus rex)

Sue (Tyrannosaurus rex)
Name	Sue
Species	Tyrannosaurus rex
Specimen number	FMNH PR 2081
Discovered	August 12, 1990
Discoverer	Susan Hendrickson
Excavation site	Cheyenne River Indian Reservation
Age	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)
Repository	Field Museum of Natural History

Sue (Tyrannosaurus rex) is one of the most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimens, notable for its exceptional completeness and extensive study. Discovered in 1990, the specimen became central to debates involving prehistoric science, paleontology, museum acquisition, Native American law, and high-profile auction litigation. The skeleton’s preparation and display transformed public engagement with dinosaur paleobiology and fueled research across anatomy, pathology, and taphonomy.

Discovery and Excavation

The specimen was found by fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson on August 12, 1990, on land within the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, near the town of Faith, South Dakota and the White River Badlands, close to exposures of the Hell Creek Formation. Hendrickson was affiliated with the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, whose team, including Peter Larson and Marlene Hill, conducted initial fieldwork and secured excavation permits related to the Canyon Fossil Beds area. The excavation drew attention from the Smithsonian Institution and later involved the Field Museum of Natural History and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for logistical support. Over several weeks, crews used plaster jacketing and field mapping guided by standards practiced at institutions like the American Museum of Natural History and the Natural History Museum, London. The discovery site’s context within the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous informed stratigraphic correlations with sites like Hell Creek and Lancian assemblages.

Preparation and Conservation

Following transport to the Black Hills Institute facilities in Hill City, South Dakota, the specimen entered long-term preparation under supervision comparable to protocols used at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and the University of Chicago paleontology labs. Techniques included mechanical preparation, consolidants modeled on conservation practice from the Field Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution, and 3D documentation technologies pioneered at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Curatorial decisions later coordinated with conservators from the Field Museum of Natural History and imaging specialists from the University of California, Berkeley to stabilize fossils for mounting. The final articulated mount incorporated sculptural supports developed in consultation with curators from the American Museum of Natural History and engineers influenced by exhibit practices at the Natural History Museum, London.

Anatomy and Paleopathology

Anatomical study of the specimen, catalogued as FMNH PR 2081, revealed a near-complete skull, numerous vertebrae, limb elements, and pelvic bones, allowing comparisons to specimens described by researchers at the University of Kansas and the University of Montana. Detailed osteological comparisons referenced classic works by Barnum Brown and contemporary analyses at the Smithsonian Institution and Yale Peabody Museum. Paleopathological assessment identified healed fractures, tooth marks, osteomyelitis, and fusion indicative of intraspecific combat or predation, paralleling cases studied at the Royal Ontario Museum and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. CT scanning and histological work by teams linked to the Field Museum of Natural History, University of Chicago, and the UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology provided evidence on growth rates, age estimation, and metabolic inferences often compared with research from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Bristol.

Scientific Significance and Research

The specimen became a focal point for studies on tyrannosaurid biomechanics, feeding ecology, and growth, prompting collaborations among researchers at the Field Museum of Natural History, the American Museum of Natural History, and the University of Edinburgh. Comparative functional morphology tied to work done at the Smithsonian Institution and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History advanced models of bite force and locomotion developed by teams at Ohio State University and the University of Montana. Isotopic analyses and taphonomic research drew on methods from the University of Washington and the University of Leeds, integrating data used by paleoecologists at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and the University of Southampton. The specimen’s public availability accelerated phylogenetic studies at the Natural History Museum, London and the American Museum of Natural History, influencing syntheses published by research groups at the University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley.

Legal Dispute and Ownership

After excavation, ownership became contested among the Black Hills Institute, landowner Maurice Williams of the Sioux community on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, and federal and state authorities including involvement from the FBI and legal counsel linked to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Litigation reached federal courts, with claims considered under statutes and precedents involving tribal land rights and property law in contexts similar to cases heard in United States District Court for the District of South Dakota and appeals referencing rulings from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The specimen was seized, litigated, and ultimately sold at auction at Sotheby's in 1997, where the Field Museum of Natural History purchased it with support from donors and institutions such as the McDonald's Corporation and private foundations, highlighting intersections with museum acquisition policies practiced at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History.

Public Display and Cultural Impact

Since acquisition, the specimen has been mounted and exhibited at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, becoming a marquee attraction alongside exhibits developed with partners like the Chicago Tribune and educational outreach programs modeled on initiatives from the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History. The display influenced popular culture references across media outlets including the New York Times, National Geographic, and BBC News, and inspired traveling exhibits emulating practices from the Natural History Museum, London and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. The specimen has been featured in documentaries produced by PBS, BBC, and Discovery Channel, and has spurred merchandise, scholarly monographs, and outreach collaborations with universities such as the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago, shaping public understanding of prehistoric life and museum stewardship.

Category:Fossil specimens Category:Tyrannosaurus Category:Field Museum of Natural History collection