Fossil Plaster Jacket on Mule Near Jeddah

Bright afternoon sunlight reflects off a nearby water surface, casting sharp highlights across the rough canvas straps and the dusty gray coat of a mule. The animal stands centered in a symmetrical arrangement before a weather balloon launch site near Jeddah. A large, pale plaster jacket encases a fossil specimen on the mule's back, its white surface contrasting against the deep blue of the perfectly clear sky. Dry season dust coats the ground and the mule's hooves. Equipment rests on the ground beside the animal, aligned with the station structures. The rigid form of the plaster jacket hangs from the saddle, while a distinct shadow falls directly beneath the mule's legs onto the sandy earth.