20 Megatherium americanum

3D Model

Megatherium simply means ‘giant beast’; the common name is ‘Giant ground sloth’. Megatherium americanum lived in the grasslands and woodlands of South America during the last Ice Age, 125,000–9,000 years ago.

Unlike some of the other prehistoric animals represented at Crystal Palace, plenty of fossil evidence was available to reconstruct this animal, which became extinct only relatively recently. The reconstruction is considered to be accurate in most respects, such as the muscular proportions and long shaggy hair. However the animal probably lacked the short trunk on its nose that Hawkins sculpted. In addition, the current small hands lacking claws are inaccurate due to a mistaken 20th century repair (the right hand has broken off). The beast was dramatically modelled rearing up on its hind legs to browse from a tree (real but now dead), which is something it probably did in life.

This sculpture is the only one carved from blocks of solid stone.

Model by HE Geospatial Survey Team ©Historic England