[Arthalion]

Yep, mystery SOLVED! The skull, and apparently the entire body, are the remains of a beluga whale. Beluga's have a lot of fat on them making them appear fat and rounded, but when you strip it away this is what a Beluga skull looks like:



Look familiar? Even the notch in the upper skull is consistent.

[oxcart]

[Marius3188]

Thats the only thing I can think of. From the size of it and the loss of teeth it might have died of old age. 7m for a Beluga is really big, and look at the shape and tear of the teeth. Looks like a old animal.

[ltc8k6]

Yep, Beluga whale.

You'd think the Russians would recognize one.

[SpaceBar]

I was thinking narwhal, and was trying to account for the absence of a tusk. Looks like a match.

[DBrow]

I think it's a beluga too, I posted a skullsunlimited link above.

Lots of things look unfamiliar as skeletons. Before 1810 or so, digging up a mammoth skull was proof that there were giant cyclopean people walking around once. It fit the data- the Bible states that there were giants, and the trunk attachment looked like an eyesocket if you weren't too critical.

it's more fun to interpret the carcass as something far more mysterious than a dead whale, though, and some of the posts here show that.

Anyone suggest ocean-dwelling alien visitors yet?

[mysterio]

Yeah, that's really close, but Beluga whales aren't covered in fur. Good find on the skull, though. It looks to be an exact match.

[MineralMan]

Yes. It is certainly a cetacean of some sort. I'm not sure if it's a beluga or another toothed whale, but that skull pretty much says it all. I'm outa here.

[Bon mots]

Solved by Arthalion: The Remains of a Beluga Whale.

[Godebert]

You nailed it.