German Museum Agrees to Return 113-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Skull to Brazil

The State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart purchased a 113-million-year-old fossil from a private dealer in Germany in 1991. The specimen is the skull of a massive carnivorous dinosaur. It is one of thousands of fossils removed from Brazil over the past century.

Brazilian researchers have sought the return of the skull for years. Last week, during Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s visit to Hannover, Germany, the governments of Brazil and Germany issued a joint statement. The statement expressed the museum’s willingness to return the fossil to Brazil.

The skull belongs to a species known from material originally taken out of Brazil. Brazilian researchers have long argued that such specimens should be housed in their country of origin. The 1991 purchase occurred through a private dealer operating in Germany.

The joint statement marks the first formal indication that the museum is prepared to repatriate the item. No timeline for the physical transfer has been announced. Officials from both countries described the move as reflecting shared commitment to cultural heritage cooperation.

The announcement follows years of calls from Brazilian researchers for the return of fossils taken from their territory. The governments’ statement stops short of confirming an immediate handover but establishes formal willingness by the Stuttgart museum. Further discussions between the institutions are expected to determine next steps.