Last Update: 8/08/05

Location:

On the Potomac shores, Charles Co., MD
&
The Potomac shores in VA

~56-59 Million Years Old
Late Paleocene, Selandian
Aquia Formation, Piscataway Member


"Sunrise along the Potomac cliffs"




"Watch out for the trees"




"Winter along the Potomac in Charles Co."

Notice how the beach is made of small peddles the same color as the shark teeth.
See how hard it is to pick out a medium sized tooth from the pebbles.


Be sure to check out the cliffs made of Gastropod molds



View additional site images


View our fossils found along the Potomac


View what may be found on a typical collecting day


Potomac River Fossils

Fossils found along the cliffs of the Potomac River just south of D.C. are from 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 shark teeth (including the fiercest shark of the Paleocene, Otodus obliqqus), ray plates, and crocodile and turtle material. These deposists are to old to find marine mammals, as mammals did not return to the sea for another 4 - 6 million years, in the Eocene.

Access:

  • 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.

    Recomended Equipment:

  • Shovel and Sifter with a 1/8" - 1/4" screen.
  • Waders (to avoid mosquitos and cold water)

    Recomended Books:



    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 teeth.

    Other Stuff:

  • Mallows Bay Ghost Fleet

    • Not Fossil Related: Just an interesting place in the area to visit (if you have a canoe or kayak).

    Great Links:

  • House of Otodus This just may be where Otodus lives! Info about Potomac river Otodus teeth, and images of fossil shark dentitions.

    You are visitor number since August 2000




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