tvrigs.org.uk » Quaternary

February – Woolly Mammoth Tooth.

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:38:07 +0000

Mammoth lived on most of the continents in the Northern Hemisphere during the last big ice age 70-10,000 years ago. Woolly Mammoths were about the same size as Indian elephants are today and covered in a layer of coarse hair. They are a good indicator of a cold climate and tundra or Steppe conditions. They are well known about and understood as whole frozen carcasses have been found in several places in Siberia. Mammoths are the symbols of the last ice age and many stories have evolved about them. The Siberian tribes believed that they lived in the centre of the earth and died when they came into contact with air. This explained to them why they never found one alive before the theory of extinction had been developed. Mammoths became extinct due to rapid climate change and large-scale human predation.

Mammoths have six sets of teeth throughout their lifetime. (Much like modern day elephants). They moved forward from the back of the jaw and replaced older worn out teeth as they fell out. This means that there are lots of teeth that can be preserved. Thin enamel plates cemented together. This makes a tall strong, wear resistant tooth.

They are often dredged up from the North Sea. Here they are from a land bridge between England and the Netherlands, which was cut off as sea levels rose 6 – 8,000 years ago. The teeth have then been reworked by the sea bringing them to the surface to be collected by trawlers.

The remains of a species of Dwarf Woolly Mammoths have been found on an island between Russia and North America. These have been dated back to 7,000 – 3,500 at the same time that the pyramids and Stonehenge were being built.

Gravel Hole Quarry

admin — Mon, 19 May 2003 14:57:35 +0000

Contents

Site Description
Site Map
Site Assessment
Surveyors

Grid Reference NZ 445 231
BGS Sheet 33
OS Sheet 93
Forwarded as RIGS 30/09/2003

Site Description

Site Status SNCI
Description of Geodiversity Disused and landscaped sand and gravel quarry
Literature References

Site Map

Site Assessment

Access and Safety	Comments	Rating
Safety of access	Along footpath over railway line	8
Safety of exposure	Shallow quarry environment	10
Restricting conditions	None
Multiple exposure	None
Note	It is strongly suggested that on-site safety be the responsibility of the party leader(s), as the safety information above is given only as a guide.

Education and Science	Comments	Rating
Surface processes	Pluvial and aeolian processes	10
Geomorphology	None
Sedimentary rock	Various erratics in outwash	2
Igneous rock	Various erratics in outwash	2
Metamorphic rock	Various erratics in outwash	2
Fossils	None
Minerals	None specific	2
Structural features	None
Stratigraphy	Current bedding laminations	10

Geodiversity Value	Comments	Rating
Education	Limited educational value	2
Scientific	Glacial deposits	10
Historical	Disused quarry	2
Aesthetic	Close to Nature Reserve	5

Surveyors

Andrew Carter, John Waring

Dalton Piercey

admin — Tue, 06 May 2003 14:08:11 +0000

Contents

Site Description
Site Map
Site Assessment
Surveyors

Grid Reference NZ 469 307
BGS Sheet 27
OS Sheet 93
Forwarded as RIGS 30/09/2003

Site Description

Site Status SNCI
Description of Geodiversity Natural river-cliff exposure of fluvio-glacial deposits. The cliff reveals an exposure of middle sand, gravels and clays.
Literature References The Geology of the Country Between Durham and West Hartlepool – Dennis Smith 1967

Site Map

Site Assessment

Access and Safety	Comments	Rating
Safety of access	Along footpath to exposure	10
Safety of exposure	Level viewing platform on river bank	10
Restricting conditions	Possible high flow episodes	9
Multiple exposure	Other smaller cliffs downstream	8
Note	It is strongly suggested that on-site safety be the responsibility of the party leader(s), as the safety information above is given only as a guide.

Education and Science	Comments	Rating
Surface processes	Various fluvial and glacial processes	10
Geomorphology	River cliff feature	8
Sedimentary rock	Examples in outwash stratigraphy	2
Igneous rock	Examples in outwash stratigraphy	2
Metamorphic rock	Examples in outwash stratigraphy	2
Fossils	None
Minerals	None specific	2
Structural features	None specific	2
Stratigraphy	Excellent stratigraphical examples	10

Geodiversity Value	Comments	Rating
Education	Fluvial processes and glacial deposit example	10
Scientific	Glacial deposit for Earth scientists	10
Historical	No historical value
Aesthetic	River corridor environment	10

Surveyors

Andrew Carter, John Waring