Abstract
Abstract Wadi Al-Hitan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Western Desert of Egypt famous for the fossils it has produced, including some of the most complete skulls and skeletons of Eocene whales known anywhere in the world. Most are from the early part of the late Eocene epoch of Earth history and lived in the Tethys Sea some 38 to 36 million years before present. Basilosaurus isis and Dorudon atrox are the most abundant and best known of the archaic whales. Sea cow skeletons are present as well, as are bones or teeth of a bird, crocodiles, turtles, bony fishes, and a diversity of sharks and rays. The fossils are preserved in sedimentary strata that accumulated as sea level rose and fell, producing a succession of nearshore marine environments. Rocks exposed at the surface, now dissected by erosion, enable study of stratigraphic sequences and their architecture. Taken together, the fossil-and-strata geoheritage of Wadi Al-Hitan has exceptional value for science and for public education.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.