Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 117, September 2014, pp. 1-33. | Page 4

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Nature of the rocks:
The nature of the rocks on which the tracks were made indicates a marine origin,
composed out of dolomitic-marly limestone in regular 10-15 cm. thick layers,
with the seams of marl in between. The fossils in part of the layers are chiefly of
marine gastropods of shallow-water character. Imprints of terrestrial plants were
found in some of the layers, indicating the nearness of the shore. In certain
layers, concentrations may be observed of reddish-brown earthy material, which
is obviously derived from the adjacent land area (Avnimelech and Bervoets;
Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).

One of the Beit Zeit Dinosaur Footprints from Beit Zeit, West of Al-Quds (Jerusalem),
Occupied Palestine. 09.07.2013. Photo by: Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von
Jaffa. http://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/12191415913/

Form and arrangement:
The form and arrangement of the tracks clearly show that the tracks were made
by a biped. Often only the digits were imprinted but sometimes even the tarsals
were pressed into the rock surface. The imprints of the tarsals show that these
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 117 – September 2014