A team of researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham has made a groundbreaking discovery at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire. The quarry floor was found to be filled with hundreds of different dinosaur footprints, creating an extensive trackway system. These massive footprints date back to the Middle Jurassic Period, approximately 166 million years ago.
The footprints, which include those from the nine-meter predator Megalosaurus, as well as herbivorous dinosaurs up to twice its size, form part of a “dinosaur highway” that stretches along the southeastern coast of England. The area is famous for its rich fossil deposits and has yielded numerous discoveries in the past.
The excavation uncovered five main trackways, with indications of additional footprints in the surrounding area. Four of the trackways belonged to gigantic sauropods, likely Cetiosaurus, reaching up to 18 meters in length. The fifth trackway belonged to a carnivorous theropod dinosaur, Megalosaurus.
The discovery has provided scientists with new evidence of these prehistoric animals and has shed light on their movements, interactions, and the tropical environment they inhabited. A total of over 20,000 images were taken of the footprints, forming a valuable resource for further study.
According to Emma Nicholls, a vertebrate paleontologist at Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH), the discovery proves that there is still new evidence of these animals waiting to be found. The find also highlights the importance of modern technology in transforming our understanding of the distant past.
The trackways are now being studied and documented using advanced techniques, including aerial drone photography. These detailed 3D models will provide scientists with a deeper understanding of dinosaur biology and behavior.
The discovery is part of a larger series of excavations and research projects focused on understanding Earth’s geological history. The site’s rich geological context can offer insights into its ancient environment, including a muddy lagoon where dinosaurs walked millennia ago.
This find is set to be showcased in the upcoming “Breaking Ground” exhibition at OUMNH, featuring original Megalosaurus fossils alongside images and video from the site. Visitors will learn about cutting-edge paleontological tools and techniques used in the excavation.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/new-tracks-discovered-on-uks-dinosaur-highway