Sharktooth Hill locality - 

The world famous Sharktooth Hill area contains abundant shark and marine mammal fossils from the middle Miocene age (12-15 million years ago). This ancient shallow sea is now a land based deposit known for fossils with excellent preservation and coloration. More than 130 species of animals have been identified to date making this one of the most significant Miocene fossil deposits known. The fossil deposit is found in a thin layer referred to as the bone bed of the Round Mountain silt (Temblor Fm.) which covers a 110 square-mile area of rolling hills in eastern Kern County, California. Unfortunately for the collector, nearly all of this property is privately owned and not accessible to the public. The original Sharktooth Hill property is now owned by the Kern County Community College District, and access is limited to the scientific community on an invitation basis. Great photos below. Click photo to enlarge.

Our catalogs include excellent teeth from the following members of the Temblor Formation:

Following are photos of the Round Mountain silt beds (main producing horizon). Click on photos to enlarge:

	Looking at the Shark tooth Hill area North of the Kern River.
	The white stripe in the center of the hill shows  abundant Round Mountain silt diggings.
	Close up of a trench cut in the Round Mountain silt.
	One of the many "sweet holes" were fossils are dug.
	The thin "bone bed" exposed in the rear of this hole.
	Digging the hole takes some hard work.
	Sieving for treasures.
	The ever present snake in the grass (with rattles!).

Sharktooth Hill Catalog links:

| Sharktooth Hill | C. megalodon | I. desori | I. desori - Olcese Fm. | I. hastalis-Uppers | I. hastalis-Lowers | I. hastalis-Matrix | I. planus | P. benedeni   | Prosqualodon |  Hemipristis | H. andersoni | Squatina | S. occidentalis | G. contortus | G. contortus symphyseal | G. aduncus | Cetorhinus | Carcharhinus |

Send mail to BTFossils@cs.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: January 27, 2008