Field Jacket is Half Off: Last week we left off with the skull at the beginning of the cleaning /preparation process. This photo shows what the skull looks like when half of it has been cleaned! Once the whole skull has been cleaned the skull will be ready to be oriented in it's anatomical position.Courtesy Science Museum of Minnesota

Attaching the Mount: In order to get the skull upright, a special mount is created. The mount is attached to the skull via steel pins which are embedded in plaster. This photo also shows the reconstructions of one of the skulls molars and portions of the reconstructed maxilla.Courtesy Science Museum of Minnesota

Raising the Skull: Once the mount has been firmly attached to the skull the entire apparatus has to be lifted with a forklift so it can be oriented correctly and attached to the mount’s base.Courtesy Science Museum of Minnesota

The Upright Skull: The mounted skull has been securely attached to its standing platform. Check back next week to see the mount disappear as portions of the skull are reconstructed in the final blog post of this series.Courtesy Science Museum of Minnesota