Earth Science and Natural Science Research

Field trip to the Messel Pit, Germany, September 2, 2008
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Thomas A. Dillhoff, Everett, Washington

During our field trip, we had the chance to observe a museum excavation. The oil shale is removed in blocks and then students split the shale using large kitchen knives in a search for fossils. Anything that is found is carefully wrapped to prevent drying and then transferred to the museum for preparation. The following photos show how the excavation takes place:

Blocks of oil shale are quarried and removed for examination.

Oil shale staged in wheelbarrows

Student workers carefully splitting shale in search of specimens

It may not look like much, but this slab contains a fine specimen of the fossil fish Cyclurus, a relative of the modern bowfin. The reddish area on the slab is the rear of the fish body and the tail. The outline of the fish's spine is visible to the left of the red staining.

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