Fossils

A few images from the Fossil Park in Langebaan and a few others.

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A day at the SA Fossil Park. The largest collection of prehistoric mammal fossils from 5 million years ago lies in this old mining area. Overlooking the area to be excavated for fossils. It was turned into a National Park about 8 years ago. Inside the "eco-tent". It was interesting to see a young national park awaiting funds to formalize their efforts.
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Bones in the dig site. Very cool. Archaeologists come 2x a year to work on the collection of the fossils. This area has been a work in progress for 5 years. An example bone, but it's not a fossil.
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A fossilized vertebra and disc. Jaw bone of a young mammal. If you look closely you can see the "milk teeth" being pushed up by the adult teeth. More fossils.
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One side of the site. Over to the site of the Sivathere bones. It was separate from the other area. A Sivathere, or a long horned, short necked giraffe. Here is a set of horns (one broken) and you can see their sinus cavities they believed were for creating sounds.
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A close up of the sivathere horn and multiple sinus cavities. This one area is believed to contain the entire skeleton of this one mammal. The baby bones we "scratched" for afterward. Actually they are amphibian and reptile bones. Frogs mostly. Scratching for bones.... we found a few.
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The "table cloth". A windy day at the beach. Bright afternoon african sun.
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Sand dunes at Blaauwberg.

South Africa images.
Sonya L. Tittle



Last updated: 1/13/05