Iguanodon
Iguanodon S Chaumont
Cam Construction Pk 11 Outcrop Iguanodon fossils 28 07 71 1 002In 1971, during construction of the Marne feeder canal just behind the present-day Charles-Jacquin stadium, Mr. Bigard, a Saint-Dizier teacher and amateur geologist, and Mr. Soudé, a professional geologist, discovered fossilized bones which turned out to be those ofone of the largest Iguanodons discovered in France.
Work was then interrupted for 3 weeks to allow specialists from the Nancy School of Geology to unveil the skeleton of this dinosaur, which lived between 115 and 130 million years ago.
Every precaution was taken, in particular to avoid oxidation of the bones, which could cause them to splinter, but not without difficulty, as curious onlookers flocked to the site and the water level in a water table threatened to drown the bones. Pumping would be necessary.
Patience is also required, as it will take several months to clean up the bones, and time is running out. Work must continue to create the canal that will supply water to the future Lac du Der-Chantecoq.
Iguanodon
Iguanodon head Musée Saint-Dizier- Latin name: Iguanodon bernissartensis (Reptile with Iguana teeth)
- Lived between 115 and 130 million years ago
- Size: 10 m long, around 3.5 m high
- Weight: approx. 5 tonnes
- Speed: 35 km/h
Young people from the MJC and the caving club lend a hand to the geologists. They discover part of a pine tree that could date from the same period. It’s particularly rare to find plant parts dating from such a long time ago.
The Iguanodon fossil was not found in its entirety. It turns out that a current displaced the lighter parts during the Barremian (-129 to -124 million years ago). So any hope of finding the head is gone. The gigantic tail, on the other hand, will be found almost in its entirety. It would appear that the tip of the tail had been devoured by a carnivore. The discovery of a tooth nearby supports this hypothesis.
Work accelerated. The bones found were brushed, protected from oxidation and plastered to protect them from transport to the laboratories in Nancy, where they would be processed and studied.
Although the skeleton was not found in its entirety, the pieces discovered are of interest to researchers and quite unique in France.
Today, the Musée de Saint-Dizier has a rich paleontological collection in its reserves. It has collections of 2 species of iguanodon: atherfieldensis and bernissartensis, from 5 sites in the region: Wassy, Baudonvilliers, Cousancelles, Saint-Dizier and Pont-Varin.
The ‘Iguanodon du Der‘ discovered in 1971 in Saint-Dizier is now protected in the reserves of the municipal museum, until it is given a special place in the future museum project.
Bibliographical sources :
Saint-Dizier municipal archives (local press July-August 1971)
EPTB Seine Grands Lacs
Saint-Dizier Museum
