NEW DELHI, Aug 21: Fossil-like remains, including a large bone-shaped structure, were discovered in a village in Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan raising the possibility of the site being linked to the prehistoric dinosaur era.
The unusual stone formations and bones resembling a large skeletal structure were found in Megha village, around 45 kilometres from Jaisalmer, by locals while digging near the lake, officials said on Thursday.
Fatehgarh Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the Tehsildar visited the site and inspected the remains. A local resident, who alerted the authorities, said a skeleton-like structure, possibly a dinosaur spine, was found near the lake. “At the lake, we saw what looked like skeletons and stones with imprints. I realised these could be ancient remains, so I contacted the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the administration,” Shyam Singh said.
Experts said the remains were very likely dinosaur fossils; however, it was difficult to draw a conclusion before scientific tests. “It’s very possible these are dinosaur fossils. They appear to be medium-sized, with fossils and what might be the remains of a wing. It’s difficult to confirm without further study, but once the Geological Survey of India (GSI) team arrives, we can scientifically determine their age and historical context,” Geologist Narayan Das Inkhiya, who visited the site, said.
“Jaisalmer’s rock formations, with marine and freshwater deposits, date back 180 million years to the Jurassic age when dinosaurs thrived,” he added. Villagers gathered at the site in large numbers after the discovery. A resident who took photographs of the remains said, “While digging around the lake, villagers noticed what looked like ancient remains. We photographed them and sent the images to the district administration and archaeology department.”
Paleontological remains have been discovered in Jaisalmer over the years, including bone fossils in Thiyat, a dinosaur footprint, and a well-preserved dinosaur egg found in 2023. The discovery near the ancient lake in Megha village is possibly the fifth dinosaur-related discovery in the region. The site has been cordoned off for the GSI to conduct its scientific evaluation and confirm the findings as dinosaur fossils.
(Manas Dasgupta)
