Bogotá Formation, Geological formation in Eastern Hills, Colombia
The Bogotá Formation is a geological rock sequence in the Eastern Hills of Colombia composed of alternating layers of gray and red mudstone, silty claystone, and sandstone lenses. This layered deposit spreads across the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and records ancient sediment patterns from a specific period in Earth's history.
This formation dates to the Paleocene through Eocene epochs and was first scientifically documented by Hettner in 1892. The rock layers hold substantial fossil remains of extinct hoofed mammals and reptiles from the early period following dinosaur extinction.
The formation represents a primary research site for Colombian geologists studying the evolution of Andean landscapes and prehistoric environments.
This rock sequence is visible and accessible at several locations along the Río Frío river gorge and within the Usme Syncline depression. The clearest viewing points are found along road cuts and riverbanks where the layered structure is well exposed.
The rock layers preserve chemical traces of an intense warming event that occurred roughly 56 million years ago, visible through altered soil profiles within the sequence. This evidence helps scientists understand how climate swings affected the landscape during that distant epoch.
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