Last Update: 12/28/04
Location:
Big Brook and surrounding brooks, Monmouth Co, NJ
~67-74 Million Years Old
Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian
Mount Laurel and Navesink Formations
"Sifting for fossils"
From left to right we have Rob, Amy, and Paul sifting at Ramanessin Brook. Rob is from
Times Scientific, he graciously gave us a
tour of the NJ area. Thank you Rob!
"A cold day in NJ"
Paul and Amy sifting in Big Brook. On our second day, the temps dropped and the
wind picked up. But that didn't stop us!
"Sifting for arrowheads?"
This is Amy proudly holding up the 1st arrowhead we found. It may even be a paleo indian head,
possibly 10,000 - 12,000 years old. At this point, we are not sure.
Additional site images
View our fossils found at the Big Brook Area
About the Big Brook area
View our fossils found at the Big Brook Area
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Due to the everlasting popularity of dinosaurs, the last period of the dinosaurs, the
Cretaceous, has become a well known period. When people think of the Cretaceous, they
may think of paleontologists digging in African Deserts and regions in China. When
thinking of the Cretaceous in the U.S., many people think of the Western North American
Bad Lands in places such as Montana and Alberta.
However, not many people know that America's East Coast has its share in Dinosaurs! For example, if you know where to look one can find well preserved dinosaur footprints at Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania. Parts of New Jersey, Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, and Northern Maryland all contain fossil deposits from the age of dinosaurs. |
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One of the better known areas is a small place in New Jersey called Big Brook. Near this
area, the first Dinosaur discovery in North America was made, back in 1858. Big Brook
and surrounding brooks cut through the ground, digging though the layers of earth, they
go through recent layers, cut into the Pleistocene, and finally carve away at ancient fossil
bearing Cretaceous deposits.
During the Cretaceous, our continents were nearly in their present positions. However, the Earth was much warmer. This resulted in high sea levels. As a result, Europe was composed of numerous islands. Most of North Americas coastal plain was submerged. States such as Georgia and Florida were completely submerged. The high sea levels caused North America to be split in two. A great interior seaway flowed through much of the great plain states, from Texas to North Dakota, and through Northern Canada. This can be seen in the sketch to the right. |
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New Jersey was also submerged. Since it was just off the ancient coast of North
America, marine fossils abound at the Big Brook area. Numerous species of sharks can
be found, as well as invertebrates such as mollusks and Belemnites. Also, the great
reptiles that ruled the seas in the Cretaceous can occasionally be found. These creatures
include Mosasaurs, Pleisiosaurs, and large Crocodiles.
However, since this area was only miles from the coast, the remains of land animals occasionally washed out to sea. Although rare, fossils of land animals can be found. These remains are often pieces of dinosaurs, such as Hadrosaur teeth, and bone fragments. These fossils have been washed out of their sediments by the water action, and can simply be found in Big Brook and surrounding brooks by screening gravel bars, and walking the creek beds. |
