Researchers have discovered nearly 200 dinosaur footprints dating back 166 million years buried under mud in an Oxfordshire quarry.
The dig, carried out at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire by teams from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham, uncovered five extensive trackways, forming part of a ‘dinosaur highway’ – with evidence of more in the surrounding area.
One area of the site shows the carnivore and herbivore tracks crossing over, prompting questions about whether and how the two were interacting.
The Universities of Oxford and Birmingham co-led a team of more than 100 people on a week-long excavation in June 2024, uncovering around 200 footprints, creating 20,000 photographs and building detailed 3D models of the site using aerial drone photography.
Experts say the new discoveries will provide valuable insights into how the dinosaurs walked, speeds they reached, how big they were, and if and how they interacted with each other.
Dr Duncan Murdock, earth scientist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH), said: “The preservation is so detailed that we can see how the mud was deformed as the dinosaurs’ feet squelched in and out.
The excavation will be broadcast on BBC Two’s Digging for Britain, hosted by Professor Alice Roberts, on January 8 and features in a new public exhibition, Breaking Ground, at OUMNH.
“Our 3D models will allow researchers to continue to study and make accessible this fascinating piece of our past for generations to come.”
