| How many pits are there? |
| Over 100 excavation sites, commonly called "pits," have been explored since the turn of the 20th century. Those that can be seen in Hancock Park are remnants of former excavations that have backfilled with dirt and debris, and with water and asphalt. Five fenced areas scattered throughout the park include the Lake Pit (a remnant of commercial asphalt mining, which also contains Pits 17, 50 and the Academy Pit) and Pits 3, 4, 9, 10, 13, 61, 67 and 91. Annual excavation for fossils takes place at Pit 91. The small, circular Observation Pit located at the west end of Hancock Park covers the site of Pit 101, where visitors may view the remains of Ice Age fossils at the center of the building. |
| Do the fossil deposits extend beyond Hancock Park? |
| The majority of the Rancho La Brea fossil were recovered within the 23 acres of Hancock Park. However, several fossil deposits have been located and recovered outside the confines of the Park. |
| Are there other fossil bearing asphalt deposits in the world? |
| In California, three other sites include Carpinteria along the coast, and Maricopa and McKittrick in the southwestern San Joaquin Valley. Fossiliferous asphalt deposits have also been identified in Texas, Peru, Trinidad, Iran, Russia and Poland. |
| How long have people been excavating at La Brea? |
| Fossil excavations were conducted between 1906 and 1915, 1929 and 1930, and have continued from 1969 to present. Between 1913 and 1915, exclusive right was granted to the Natural History Museum to excavate here, and from a series of 96 excavations an estimated 750,000 fossils were exhumed. Over 250,000 fossils have been recovered from Pit 91 since 1969. They have provided detailed information about the vegetation, small animals and climate needed to reconstruct the Ice Age environment. |
| Are scientists still excavating at Rancho La Brea? |
| Staff paleontologists and volunteers have been excavating Pit 91 since June 13, 1969. This project now continues for an eight to ten week period, usually during July and August. Visitor may observe the excavation in progress from the Visitors Station located on the south side of the excavation. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday when the dig is operational. Admission is free. |
| What is done with the fossils once they are removed? |
| The excavated fossils from Pit 91 are taken to the Paleontology Laboratory at the Page Museum, where they are carefully cleaned, identified, labeled, catalogued and placed into storage by staff and volunteers. These and other specimens are then available for research by qualified professionals and students from around the world; some have been loaned to other institutions for both research and display purposes. |
| How are tiny fossils recovered from asphalt deposits? |
| So-called micro fossils are removed from the excavation in a mixture of asphalt and dirt, called matrix. The matrix is washed with solvent to remove the asphalt and then the micro fossils are picked out of the sediment by staff and volunteers in the Paleontology Laboratory. |
| How can I become a volunteer in the laboratory or excavation? |
| For those interested in becoming a volunteer, please call the Laboratory Supervisor (323-857-6318) and make an appointment for an interview. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age and be able to commit to 4-8 hours per week for 96 hours. Volunteers interested in excavating must have at least 96 hour of laboratory experience. There is also a volunteer docent program through the Education Office (323-857-6306). |
