Glossary · Preparation
Preparation
The work of exposing, cleaning and stabilising a fossil after collection: mechanical (needles, air scribes, air abrasion), chemical (acid), and consolidation.
The work of exposing, cleaning and stabilising a fossil after collection: mechanical (needles, air scribes, air abrasion), chemical (acid), and consolidation. Good preparation removes matrix and adds nothing; the preparator's notes are part of the specimen's record.
Sources
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Preparation" (Glossary). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-16. https://stratum.black/study/glossary/preparation. Accessed 2026-09-20.
@misc{stratum-preparation,
title = {Preparation},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/glossary/preparation}},
year = {2026},
note = {Glossary article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-16; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-20.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.