Welcome to the homepage of fossilman@vol.com
INTRODUCTION
If you like fossils this is the site for you. This site shows fossils and petrified wood found in Halifax and Northampton Counties. Located in Northeastern North Carolina. There are dozens of fossil exposures in the Roanoke Valley. Most of them are east of Interstate 95. For the purpose of this report the Roanoke Valley consists of Halifax and Northampton counties, North Carolina. The vast majority of the fossils found in this area are from the Pliocene Yorktown formation, and range in age from four to six million years old. There are a few exposures that are from the Pleistocene Epoch which ended just ten thousand years ago. This was also the end of the last Ice Age.
This Web page is not intended to be a scientific journal. It is intended for the beginning fossil hunter. Therefore I will not try to give specific scientific names for fossils. For the most part the fossils will be identified by their common names. I have attempted to be as accurate as possible, but bear in mind that there may be mistakes. Also there is still some debate as to the correct identification of some fossil species.
COLLECTING FOSSILS
Fossil exposures are common throughout the coastal plain of North Carolina. There are also some exposures in the piedmont, but they are not as plentiful as the coastal plain. There are several exposures along the Roanoke River that can be seen during low water in the late summer months. Also, most of the larger creeks in Halifax and Northampton counties have exposures. There are exposures in and around the towns of Conway, Enfield, Garysburg, Gaston, Halifax, Jackson, and Roanoke Rapids. I have found petrified wood along the Roanoke River and most of the larger creeks in the Roanoke Valley. Some fossils are so common in the Roanoke Valley that you will finally get tired of picking them up. Others are more scarce.
When hunting for fossils please use common sense and courtesy. Get permission from land owners before taking fossils from their land. Do not leave any trash, take out everything you carry in. The Roanoke Valley is a great place to hunt for fossils. There are also many Native American Artifacts to be found. And in the western part of both Halifax and Northampton counties quartz crystals are fairly common. Fools Gold, (Iron Pyrite) and even small amounts of gold can be found. Mica can be found on Lake Gaston. If you like to use metal detectors this is a great area. There is something here for every collector, regardless of their interests.
IDENTIFYING FOSSILS
There are many good books about fossils. A visit to the local library is a good place to get more information about fossils. Or if you want your very own book, the local book store has several good ones for sale. All of the fossils shown on this Web Page are from the Roanoke Valley area unless otherwise noted. All fossils shown are from the authors personal collection.
The vast majority of the fossils found in the Roanoke Valley are Invertebrate species. ( Invertebrates are species without backbones, such as sea shells, and insects. ) It may not be as exciting as finding vertebrates such as Dinosaurs but the invertebrates tell us much more about the past. There are a few exposures where massive amounts of whale bone can be found. Alas, the bones are mostly broken up and piled together in heaps.