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Fossils that can be found along the Paleocene Cliffs of the Potomac River
Printable Identification Fossil Sheets for Vertebrates and Invertebrates of the Paleocene Potomac River
Mallows Bay Ghost Fleet. This is not a fossil site, but a nearby kayaking/paddling site. This bay contains one of the
largest ship ghost fleets.
Nearby Shark Tooth Collecting Location:
Calvert Cliffs, MD
Fossil Shark Gallery
Parts of Sharks that Fossilize
Shark Evolution
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Location:
On the Potomac shores, Charles Co., MD
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The Potomac shores in VA
~56-59 Million Years Old
Late Paleocene, Selandian
Aquia Formation, Piscataway Member
This is your place for Paleocene fossil shark teeth!
"View of the Aquia Formation (The gray clay layer with the white shells in it) along the Potomac River. Paleocene Fossil Shark teeth are found here."
"Paul and Amy are walking along the cliffs"
"Toward the end of summer, seaweed and mats of algae bloom in bays along the potomac. These aquatic plants
often wash ashor and cover the beach in a stinky muck. It makes it difficult for fossil hunting."
"Watch out for the trees. fossil collecting with all the down trees can make it a little cumbersome."
Fossil Turritella Shells
There is a layer roughly 15-20 ft up that is chalk full of fossil Turritella Gastropod molds. This layer is collapsed along some sections of the Potomac Cliffs, which means huge
rocks are laying on the beach that are full of the gastropod molds.
Click here to see more pictures of collapsed cliff sections containing the fossil Gastropod molds
About the Fossils of the Potomac River
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Fossils found along the cliffs of the Potomac River just south of D.C. are from the Aquia formation, which is from the Selandian,
or late Paleocene.
This
time period markes the final ending of the supercontinent Pangaea,
as the last vestige split apart into Antarctica and Australia.
Also, at the end of the Paleocene, the
climate was warming from the cool Paleocene climate into the tropical climate of the Eocene.
Another special event marked in the Paleocene is the development of grass. Without
the evolution of grass, mankind would have long perished from lack of cutting it.
Again, as in the Eocene and Miocene, this area was just offshore in the
young, and much narrower Atlantic Ocean. The fossiliferous deposits contain mainly
shells, fish, and ossil shark teeth (including the
fiercest shark of the Paleocene, Otodus obliquus), ray plates,
and crocodile and turtle material. These deposists are too old to find marine mammals,
as mammals did not return to the sea for another 4 - 6 million years, in the Eocene. However,
the Eocene Nanjemoy formation occasionally pops up along the cliffs. Sometimes Eocene fossils can be found along the
shores from this formation.
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Access to Fossils Exposures of the Potomac River
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When looking for fossil along the potomac, please remember that private property
starts at the LOW tide line in VA, therefore, all beaches in VA are private property.
In MD, private property starts at the HIGH tide line, so you must stay below the high tide
line in MD.
Access is limited, especially without a boat and VA property laws.
However, the VMNH takes field trips to places along the potomac. For information about
their public field trips,
click here.
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Recommended Fossil Equipment for the Potomac River
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Shovel and Sifter with a 1/8" - 1/4" screen.
Please note, DO NOT DIG IN THE CLIFFS, as this is private property. The shovel and sifter are for screening the gravel banks of the Potomac.
Waders (to help protect against mosquitos, biting flies, and cold water)
There are lots of fallen trees and vegitation to climb through, be sure to wear proper insect repellent, ticks can be a problem.
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Recommended Books:
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Fossil Shark Teeth of the World, A Collector's Guide
by Joe Cocke
Copyright 2002
Lamna Books
Torrance, CA
A great book for identifying all those teeth. This book is layed out "as simple as possible."
It's ease of use and small size makes it great to carry during collecting trips.
Fossil Sharks of the Chesapeake Bay Region
by Bretton W. Kent
Copyright 1994
Egan Rees & Boyer, Inc
Colombia, MD
A great book for identifying all those fossil shark teeth.
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The Mallows Bay Ghost Fleet:
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Mallows Bay Ghost Fleet
This Not Fossil Related: It's just an interesting place in the area to visit (if you have a canoe or kayak).
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