Hundreds of enormous dinosaur footprints have been discovered in an Oxfordshire quarry, establishing it as the largest dinosaur trackway site in the UK.
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Dating back to the Middle Jurassic Period, approximately 166 million years ago, the discovery includes five trackways imprinted in limestone, offering valuable evidence of the movements of two distinct dinosaur species.
Evidence points to four of the trackways being created by massive, long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs known as sauropods, most likely Cetiosaurus – an 18-meter-long relative of the famous Diplodocus. The fifth trackway is attributed to the carnivorous theropod Megalosaurus, identifiable by its distinctive three-toed feet with sharp claws.
The site also revealed overlapping tracks from both carnivores and herbivores, raising intriguing questions about possible interactions between these ancient giants.
Some of the trackways stretch up to 150 metres, with the potential to extend even further as the quarry has only been partially excavated.
Professor Kirsty Edgar, a micropalaeontologist at the University of Birmingham and part of the research team, said: "These footprints provide an extraordinary glimpse into the lives of dinosaurs, offering insights into their movements, interactions, and the tropical environment they once inhabited."
The footprints were first discovered by quarry worker Gary Johnson, who noticed "unusual bumps" while stripping clay to expose the quarry floor at Dewars Farm and Duns Tew Quarry.
In June 2024, a week-long excavation led by the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham uncovered the new trackways. Using aerial drone photography, the team created detailed 3D models of the site, capturing around 200 footprints in unprecedented detail, ensuring their preservation for future research.
Dr Duncan Murdock, Earth Scientist at Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH), said: “The preservation is so detailed that we can see how the mud was deformed as the dinosaur’s feet squelched in and out. Along with other fossils like burrows, shells and plants we can bring to life the muddy lagoon environment the dinosaurs walked through.”
This new discovery builds on earlier findings from 1997, when limestone quarrying revealed over 40 sets of dinosaur footprints. Some of these trackways stretched up to 180 meters, providing valuable insights into the dinosaurs that roamed the UK during the Middle Jurassic Period.
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The excavation findings will be appear on BBC Two’s Digging for Britain on 8 January presented by Alice Roberts and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
The findings will also be displayed in a new public exhibition, Breaking Ground, at Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH).
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