The Footsteps of the Archosaurs


It is possible to discover how the ancestors of dinosaurs and crocodiles, the archosaurs, walked in the locality of Madonna del Disgiolo in Zone. Once you have reached the small church dedicated to Mary, on a rocky wall formed in the Upper Triassic (220 Million years ago), you will be able to see seventy fossil footprints aligned to form five tracks, that is to say five sequences of steps taken millions of years ago by these large prehistoric reptiles.

The footprints are the largest and best preserved in Italy and have allowed palaeontologists to draw their identikit: quadrupedal animals from two to six metres long with front legs smaller than the rear ones that made them walk with a rather short step; each paw had five toes with the same number of claws.

The site is located at about 800 metres above sea level in via Valurbes, north of the town of Zone, along the stretch of the Antica Strada Valeriana that leads to the Croce di Zone pass. It is recommended to park your car near the cemetery and follow the signs for the Antica Strada Valeriana for about twenty minutes (1 km).

Iniziativa realizzata nell’ambito del bando Wonderfood & Wine di Regione Lombardia e Unioncamere Lombardia per la promozione di Sapore inLOMBARDIA

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