Agardhfjellet Formation

The Agardhfjellet Formation is a geological layer in central Spitsbergen made of dark, fine-grained mudstone that reveals much about ancient marine environments. The layers contain fossils of marine reptiles and many invertebrate creatures, showing researchers how ocean life developed over millions of years.

This layer formed in a distant geological past when Spitsbergen lay beneath a warm sea. The fossils come from an era that ended long before dinosaurs disappeared, showing how different ocean life was at that time.

Scientists from multiple countries conduct research at this site to study marine fossils and understand the evolution of prehistoric ocean environments.

The site lies in the Arctic and is hard to reach, so specialized tours or research expeditions are needed to visit it. The harsh climate requires warm gear and good physical preparation for anyone planning to go there.

One section of this formation holds rare and almost perfectly preserved skeletons of ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, marine reptiles that died millions of years ago. These fossils are so detailed that scientists can see how these creatures looked and lived back then.