Can you dig it?

If you want to go digging for fossils you’ll need to pack the right tools. But what does a palaeontologist carry in their dig kit?

Melbourne Museum dinosaur expert James Rule opens his bag and takes us through the tools of trade.

Now that you’ve seen the tools a palaeontologist carries in their field kit, let’s take a look around a real dig site.

This is the dig in Montana where Horridus the Triceratops was found. Explore the site and see if you can spot some of the tools palaeontologists used to unearth our Triceratops fossil.

The fossil dig site in Montana, USA. Photographer: Heinrich Mallison

Dig site

The Triceratops fossil was found buried under 3.5 metres of sandstone. The dirt and stone around the fossil has now been dug away so it’s easier to get in close to work on the specimen.

Picks

Palaeontologists use tools like picks and chisels to break away rocks and dirt so it’s easier to get to the fossil.

Shovels

These are used to clear away the soil and rock covering the fossil. Palaeontologists call this the overburden.

Tarps

These tarps are used to cover the fossil and protect the site from bad weather.

Glue

Palaeontologists use very strong glue to repair cracks in fossils. It’s important to keep everything in the right place until you get back to the lab.

Spray cans

These cans are used to spray accelerant. They make glue dry more quickly.

Sediment

Palaeontologists call the dirt, sand or rock around a fossil the ‘sediment’.

Tail

Sections of skeleton are separated into blocks so they can be plaster-jacketed and safely transported back to the lab.

Triceratops leg

This is the left femur of Triceratops. The sediment preserved almost the entire skeleton, with many bones still in life position. Only once the Triceratops was fully uncovered could palaeontologists confirm this was one of the most complete Triceratops ever found!