Deinonychus — Claw
The sickle that rewrote how we picture a hunter.
This cast captures the celebrated sickle claw of the second toe, the recurved form that gives the animal its name and that it is thought to have held raised clear of the ground while moving, swinging it into use against prey. Reproduced at around five inches along the curve of its bony core, the shape is spare and almost sculptural, a single arc of intent that rewards being shown in isolation on a stand or against linen.
The cast is hand-toned to bring out the keel and the subtle texture of the original, lending weight and authority to an object small enough to hold in the palm.
The enlarged second-toe claw could be held clear of the ground, sparing its edge while the animal moved on its other toes.
Current interpretation favours the claw being used to grip and pin struggling prey rather than to slash, a behaviour compared to that of living birds of prey.
Remains of several Deinonychus found near a single large herbivore have long fuelled debate over whether the animal hunted in coordinated groups.
Deinonychus — Claw
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