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120 fragments of fossilized shark teeth collected in the Dammam Formation
© Qatar National Museum
Arabia Separates from Africa (Eocene)
Object Name: Shark Teeth
Period: Arabia Separates from Africa (Eocene)
Date: 55–30 Million Years Ago
Dimensions: 3.42 cm (H) x 2.19 cm (W) x .82 cm (D)
Medium: fossil
Registration Number: QNM.2011.660.24
Place Of Discovery/Findspot:  Dammam Formation
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This object consists of several fossilized shark teeth. A shark's skeleton is made of cartilage and it continually sheds teeth throughout its lifetime, and the abundance of shark teeth in the fossil record attests to this. This abundance does not necessarily reflect the number of sharks that lived during the Eocene period. These specimens were discovered in the Dammam Formation, which was formed during the Eocene period, found in southwest Qatar.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT QATAR
The Arabian Plate began to separate from the African Plate in
this period and moved gradually towards the Eurasian Plate.
The Arabian Gulf and the Zagros Mountains formed as a result
of the Arabian and Eurasian Plates colliding.
Qatar was home to a range of marine species. Fossils of ancient
plants and animals from this time have been discovered,
including sea urchins, sharks, sawfish and dugongs.
LOCATE ON QATAR MAP
Dammam Formation
locate in museum map
Gallery 1