Monthly Archives: July 2013

A day of geological exploration in the Negev: Matred Formation fossils and bonus petroglyphs

Mark Wilson July 8, 2013 12:51 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Our third stop in our geological journey today was 19 km north of Mitzpe Ramon (N 30.76084°, E 34.72020°) at another outcrop of the Matred Formation (Middle Eocene). We again had silicification, but no corals this time, The … Continue reading →

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A day of geological exploration in the Negev: Silicified corals in the Matred Formation (Eocene)

Mark Wilson July 8, 2013 11:01 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Our next stop on this day of exploration was 32 km southeast of Mitzpe Ramon at outcrops of the Matred Formation (Middle Eocene). The location is N 30.36899°, E 34.98655°. Look at those coordinates on Google Maps and … Continue reading →

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A day of geological exploration in the Negev: the Hazeva Formation (Lower Miocene)

Mark Wilson July 8, 2013 10:42 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–It is a tradition with the Wooster Israel expeditions to spend one day with our colleague Yoav Avni geologically explore areas beyond those associated with our present research topics. This is the way we plant seeds for future … Continue reading →

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Goodbye, Makhtesh Gadol (for now)

Mark Wilson July 7, 2013 8:59 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Today Team Israel 2013 had its last visit to Makhtesh Gadol, marking the end of Lizzie Reinthal’s and Steph Bosch’s fieldwork. We collected our last specimens from the Matmor Formation, which is exposed only in the center of … Continue reading →

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Wooster’s Fossil of the Week: An echinoid from the Eocene of France

Mark Wilson July 7, 2013 1:48 am

The above is a specimen of the echinoid Echinolampas ovalis (Bory de St Vincent, 1824) from the Eocene of Civrac-en-Médoc, France. We are looking at what is called the aboral surface — that part of the organism on the other … Continue reading →

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Geoarchaeology in Timna Valley

Mark Wilson July 6, 2013 2:01 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Wooster senior Steph Bosch is a double major in archaeology and geology. Rather than do a joint Independent Study project, she is actually doing two theses, which will no doubt be challenging this coming academic year, but she … Continue reading →

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Wooster Geologists at the Red Sea

Mark Wilson July 6, 2013 2:00 pm

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–It is a tradition for Wooster Geologists in Israel to have a day trip on Saturdays (Shabbat) to places of geological and paleontological interest. This year we choose to go two hours south to the city of Eilat … Continue reading →

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Bryozoans finally make an appearance in the Jurassic of southern Israel

Mark Wilson July 5, 2013 11:00 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–The concentrated effort of all four Wooster Geologists in Israel finally paid off in fossil bryozoans today. Steph Bosch (center) is studying the bryozoans of the Matmor Formation (Middle Jurassic) in Makhtesh Gadol for her Independent Study project. … Continue reading →

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An outcrop Dr. Judge would love (Upper Cretaceous of southern Israel)

Mark Wilson July 5, 2013 10:59 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Wooster Geologists Oscar Mmari’s Independent Study project on the Late Cretaceous phosphorites in the Negev has become multidimensional. His most interesting section is in Wadi Hawarim, where we returned today with Yoav Avni for additional observations and measurements. … Continue reading →

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Phosphate success while Jurassic bryozoans remain elusive

Mark Wilson July 4, 2013 11:09 am

MITZPE RAMON, ISRAEL–Oscar Mmari celebrated on his second outcrop today the completion of his stratigraphic columns for his project on the phosphate-bearing portions of the Mishash Formation in the Negev of southern Israel. It is certainly the least pretty section … Continue reading →

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