Exposure in Pombal reveals fossil dinosaurs 150 million years old

Fossils of dinosaurs that lived about 150 million years ago in the territory of Pombal are now patents in this county of the district of Leiria, in the exhibition “Gigantes do Jurassico: The Dinosaurs of Pombal”.

The exhibition brings together relevant findings found since 1988 in archaeological fields of the county, with emphasis on the ‘allosaurus fragilis’ and several sauropods, making known the context of the planet in the Superior Jurassic, when they lived these dinosaurs, as well as those responsible for their discovery and investigation.

“ For the first time we are gathering the entire paleontological estate of our county, including the latest findings, which were worked by the BBC in a documentary series filmed here in Pombal”, explained Lusa to the agency the head of the Tourism Unit of the municipality of Pombal, Nelson Pedrosa.

In Pombal, it will be possible to see “several fossils of an amazing magnitude and in an incredible state of conservation”, as well as a real-scale replica of the ‘fragilis allosaurs’.

“ They are parts of a dimension, of a quality, of a unique importance and rarity. People will be amazed at what they will be able to see in the Clausts of the Palaces of the Council, where the BBC documentary "Walking with dinosaurs" is also on display, anticipating the responsible.

The four sites where the remains were discovered will also be presented, Andrés, Junqueira, Mouriscas and Monte Agudo, and will be explained “the work from the land to the museum, a lengthy, thorough, complex and quiet process”.

The pedagogical intention of the exhibition is highlighted by Nelson Pereira: “Let’s get to know the people they have discovered, because they are the heart of this moment, and researchers.”.

He recalls that “for 150 years there have been references to the paleontological heritage of the county”, but the theme became more serious from the discovery made in 1988 in Andrés, in the parish of Santiago de Litém, by José Amorim, when numerous dinosaur fossils were recovered, including the ‘allosaurus’, which confirmed the link between Europe and North America.

The following were discoveries made and communicated by Fernando de Jesus in Junqueira, Rogério Alves in Mouriscas and Joel Silva in Monte Agudo.

“ They are all Pombalenses who could have stood still, but they were concerned to look for who they knew to study, to investigate and realize what was there. They dared to want to know and it is to exalt their altruism and their concern for the community and the scientific importance of these findings ", stressed.

The municipality of Pombal wants to take advantage of the exhibition to “contribute to make people aware”.

“ No one's gonna stop any private projects. We want people to communicate to us [found] so that we can discover more information, contribute to science and knowledge of our territory and our planet – and value what makes Pombal differentiating”.

This is also the motto for “something bigger than Pombal will have, certainly – we are working for it” – in the area of paleontology, “quiça” a dedicated museological space.

“ We want to value and communicate this heritage more. This is the starting point for something bigger, we aim for something more, because this heritage and its scientific relevance deserve more, something that has another scale and another involvement, because this is a surprising heritage”, concluded the head of the Tourism Unit of Pombal.

The opening takes place today, at 6:00 p.m., at the Claustros dos Paços do Conselho de Pombal. The program includes the conference “Pombal 150 million years ago: A journey to the world of dinosaurs”. The exhibition is visible until December 31, 2027 and can be visited from Monday to Sunday, between 09:00 and 17:30.