I have always enjoyed the Irish language word for a fossil; iontaise. A very similar word, iontas, means ‘wonder’, and finding a fossil in a rock is a wonderous thing!
Classification of Rocks
Rocks are classified based on the process by which they were formed. There are three rock types:
Igneous rocks, from the Latin for fire ignis, are formed when molten rock cools and hardens.
Metamorphic rocks were once igneous or sedimentary rocks, but have been changed due to intense heat and/or pressure within the earth’s crust, usually the result of intense tectonic activity.
Sedimentary Rocks are formed from small particles /grains eroded or weathered off a parent rock. These grains or sediments are composed of minerals, small pieces of plants and other organic matter. These grains are deposited by water, wind or ice over time, usually at the bottom of lakes and oceans. They are compressed and compacted before consolidating into solid layers of rock, cemented together by minerals such as silica or calcium carbonate. These strata can often be seen in exposed cliffs.
Sedimentary rocks cover the majority of the Earth's rocky surface but only make up a small percentage of the Earth’s crust compared to metamorphic and igneous rocks. Sedimentary rocks usually contain fossils. Fossils are the remains of living organisms, either plants or animals, that have been preserved.
Limestone is made up of calcium carbonate from the remains of marine animals and seawater. Tasks. Here, in Kildare Village, limestone is used as ornate setts outside every shop-entrance.
To log this cache answer the following questions and send them to me via the Messenger: **Please note the open hours 9.00 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.**
A. Identify two fossil types in the setts around the Village.
B. Upload photos of these to your log, stating the name of the fossil type.
C. As proof that you were at GZ, please upload a photo of you/your GPS at the statue of Bran agus Sceolan, Fionn MacCumhaill’s dogs, at the listed coordinates.
D. Optional: If you find any unusual fossil specimens that might be of interest to others, please add the coords to your log. 😊
