Post by L Roebuck on Jun 15, 2006 20:53:56 GMT -5
Gray Fossil Site: unearthing history one bone at a time
By Joshua Blades
June 15, 2006
With the cost of gasoline fluctuating between very expensive and ridiculously expensive, the need to find alternative recreation locally has become increasingly important.
With that said, the Gray Fossil Site visitor/interpretive center – located less than 25 miles from downtown Erwin – is nearing completion. According to lead researcher Dr. Steven Wallace, the mild winter helped construction stay ahead of schedule. The building, located about one mile off of the Gray exit, should be completed by late fall. The museum should be ready a few months after the building is finished – probably sometime early next spring.
While construction is underway at the building site, researchers and volunteers are working furiously to dig up history. “We haven’t even scratched the surface,” said Wallace, “I don’t think it will ever be completely excavated…at least not in my lifetime.”
The actual site is located behind the visitor center and roughly comprises 4-5 acres. TDOT originally found the site while working on Fulkerson Road, and has since canceled all plans to continue work in the area. The site, which was originally owned by the state, has been deeded to ETSU and is now considered part of the campus.
The site, Wallace believes, was created when a cave lying too close to the surface became plugged with water. The cave eventually became a collapsing sinkhole and over time that sinkhole ultimately became a pond.
All of the evidence points to the pond theory. Researchers have found fish, turtle, alligator, frog, rhinoceros, tapir, camel, and saber-tooth remains. These fossils help to draw a picture for researchers of the biological diversity found in the area between 4 ½ to 7 million years ago.
“We have all the indications of a marine habitat,” said Wallace, “because we have the predators and the prey all in one place.”
“Usually, as an archaeologist, they expect you to go and find your own sites,” said Wallace, “but this has been great because they just threw it in my lap.” In the short time that researchers have been excavating the site, two new species have been discovered: the red panda and the Eurasian badger.
The red panda (Pristinailurus bristoli) is technically related to the greater panda, but while the greater panda is more like a bear, the red panda is essentially a raccoon. An interesting side note: the smaller, modern red panda subsists on bamboo, but the Gray site does not contain any fossilized evidence of bamboo, leading researchers to believe that the discovered red panda must have survived on something else.
The Eurasian badger (Arctomeles dimolodontus) is basically a weasel. Wallace believes that the badger teeth found at the site suggest a vegetarian diet – probably of acorns.
Another unique animal to the site is a dwarf form of a tapir (Tapirus polkensis) which is closely related to the horse and rhinoceros. The tapirs found at the Gray site are the smallest on record, weighing less than the woolly mountain tapir found in Ecuador (previously believed to be the smallest).
The one fossil that kids want to see is the articulated (archaeologist talk for “put together”) rhinoceros skeleton which will be displayed at the museum’s opening. Since the initial discovery of the rhinoceros remains, several pieces of other rhinoceroses have been found in the area. Researchers discovered fetal remains near one of the newer rhino finds and had hoped that it would be a female, but the newer skeleton has a larger bone structure consistent with male rhinoceros fossils, meaning that there are possibly several other skeletons waiting to be unearthed.
Once it is completed, the museum will provide both history and fun for children and adults alike. Children will marvel at the size of the rhinoceros skeleton, the crushing power of the alligator’s jaw, the sharp pointed tooth of a saber-tooth cat, and the spikes on a turtle’s shell. Adults will love the fossils, but also marvel at the incredible diversity that our region once held.
Summer volunteers are needed and researchers at the site welcome local help – no experience is necessary. Contact information and general information about the dig can be found at www.etsu.edu/grayfossilsite/.
Full Article: www.vbbeacon.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/06/15/4491b07ed2030
By Joshua Blades
June 15, 2006
With the cost of gasoline fluctuating between very expensive and ridiculously expensive, the need to find alternative recreation locally has become increasingly important.
With that said, the Gray Fossil Site visitor/interpretive center – located less than 25 miles from downtown Erwin – is nearing completion. According to lead researcher Dr. Steven Wallace, the mild winter helped construction stay ahead of schedule. The building, located about one mile off of the Gray exit, should be completed by late fall. The museum should be ready a few months after the building is finished – probably sometime early next spring.
While construction is underway at the building site, researchers and volunteers are working furiously to dig up history. “We haven’t even scratched the surface,” said Wallace, “I don’t think it will ever be completely excavated…at least not in my lifetime.”
The actual site is located behind the visitor center and roughly comprises 4-5 acres. TDOT originally found the site while working on Fulkerson Road, and has since canceled all plans to continue work in the area. The site, which was originally owned by the state, has been deeded to ETSU and is now considered part of the campus.
The site, Wallace believes, was created when a cave lying too close to the surface became plugged with water. The cave eventually became a collapsing sinkhole and over time that sinkhole ultimately became a pond.
All of the evidence points to the pond theory. Researchers have found fish, turtle, alligator, frog, rhinoceros, tapir, camel, and saber-tooth remains. These fossils help to draw a picture for researchers of the biological diversity found in the area between 4 ½ to 7 million years ago.
“We have all the indications of a marine habitat,” said Wallace, “because we have the predators and the prey all in one place.”
“Usually, as an archaeologist, they expect you to go and find your own sites,” said Wallace, “but this has been great because they just threw it in my lap.” In the short time that researchers have been excavating the site, two new species have been discovered: the red panda and the Eurasian badger.
The red panda (Pristinailurus bristoli) is technically related to the greater panda, but while the greater panda is more like a bear, the red panda is essentially a raccoon. An interesting side note: the smaller, modern red panda subsists on bamboo, but the Gray site does not contain any fossilized evidence of bamboo, leading researchers to believe that the discovered red panda must have survived on something else.
The Eurasian badger (Arctomeles dimolodontus) is basically a weasel. Wallace believes that the badger teeth found at the site suggest a vegetarian diet – probably of acorns.
Another unique animal to the site is a dwarf form of a tapir (Tapirus polkensis) which is closely related to the horse and rhinoceros. The tapirs found at the Gray site are the smallest on record, weighing less than the woolly mountain tapir found in Ecuador (previously believed to be the smallest).
The one fossil that kids want to see is the articulated (archaeologist talk for “put together”) rhinoceros skeleton which will be displayed at the museum’s opening. Since the initial discovery of the rhinoceros remains, several pieces of other rhinoceroses have been found in the area. Researchers discovered fetal remains near one of the newer rhino finds and had hoped that it would be a female, but the newer skeleton has a larger bone structure consistent with male rhinoceros fossils, meaning that there are possibly several other skeletons waiting to be unearthed.
Once it is completed, the museum will provide both history and fun for children and adults alike. Children will marvel at the size of the rhinoceros skeleton, the crushing power of the alligator’s jaw, the sharp pointed tooth of a saber-tooth cat, and the spikes on a turtle’s shell. Adults will love the fossils, but also marvel at the incredible diversity that our region once held.
Summer volunteers are needed and researchers at the site welcome local help – no experience is necessary. Contact information and general information about the dig can be found at www.etsu.edu/grayfossilsite/.
Full Article: www.vbbeacon.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/06/15/4491b07ed2030