Fossils in North Carolina

By Rufus Johnson

Two small megladon shark teeth found at North Topsail Island

When most people in North Carolina think about fossils, they think of far away places such as the great American West or the Gobi Desert in Asia. However, fossils and petrified wood are abundant in North Carolina. Fossils are the remains or traces of an animal or plant from a former time. Petrified wood refers to wood turned into a stone or mineral form.

Where To Find Them

Hundreds of fossils species can be found in North Carolina's coastal plain, the eastern third of the state from Interstate 95 to the coast. These fossils range in age from 10,000 years old (Pleistocene Epoch) to more than 600 million years old (Eocambrian Period).

Almost every major river and creek east of Interstate 95 has exposures where fossils can be found. I have collected them on the Cape Fear, Chowan, Meherrin, Roanoke and Tar rivers.

Fossil ferns (octozamites) from the Triassic (206 million to 248 million years ago) in the Pekin formation in Chatham County. © Rufus Johnson
Fossil mastodon (elephant) ivory from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. From the Pleistocene (10,000 years ago). © Rufus Johnson
Fossil scallop shells from Northampton and Hertford counties. From the Pliocene period (1.8 million to 5.3 million years ago) in the Yorktown formation. © Rufus Johnson
Fossil teeth from Halifax County. From top to bottom, bison (buffalo), whale and megalodon. (the ancestor of the modern great white shark). Pliocene (1.8 million to 5.3 million years ago) to Pleistocene (10,000 years ago).© Rufus Johnson
Moon snails (top) and ecphora (snail) shells from Northampton County. From the Miocene (5.3 million to 23.8 million years ago) in the Eastover formation, and the Pliocene (1.8 million to 5.3 million years ago) in the Yorktown formation.© Rufus Johnson
Tympanic bulla (middle ear bone from whales) found in Halifax County. Pliocene (1.8 million to 5.3 million years ago) in the Yorktown formation. © Rufus Johnson
A petrified log from Cumberland County. From the Cretaceous period (65 million to 144 million years ago) in the Black Creek formation.© Rufus Johnson
Assorted fossil whale and fish vertebra found throughout eastern North Carolina. Age ranges from Eocene (38 million to 54 million years ago) to Pleistocene (10,000 years ago). © Rufus Johnson

Click on the photo to view slideshow.

You also can find fossils in gravel and marl pits throughout eastern North Carolina. Pender County has several marl pits famous for the fossils. These pits contain many types of shark teeth and echinoids (such as sand dollars and sea urchins) from the Eocene period 38 million to 54 million years ago. Sea shells, nautiloids (shell-bearing sea animals), and fish and whale teeth can also be found here.

The most famous fossil site in North Carolina is a huge marl pit near Aurora in Beaufort County, famous for huge shark teeth. Other fossils here include sea shells, sand dollars and sea urchins, coral, fish material and large mammal bone such as whale and seal vertebra. A museum in Aurora showcases the area's fossils.

Edgecombe, Halifax and Northampton counties have sites containing petrified wood, as does Johnston County. In Chatham County there are several exposures from the Triassic Pekin Formation about 210 million years old. This exposure is famous for finely detailed plant fossils such as ferns and horsetails, along with fossil fish scales, amphibians, phytosaurs, (fossil crocodile-like reptiles), petrified wood and even a few dinosaur teeth. During the Civil War, coal was mined here and the activity exposed many fossils.

Oldest Fossils in State

Stanly County has what is probably the oldest fossils in the state. They are from the Eocambrian Period and are more than 600 million years old. Fossils from this site are some of the most ancient large fossils, and they include corals and jellyfish.

Fossil Resources

"Fossil Collecting In North Carolina," by J.G. Carter and others, Bulletin 89. Published in 1988 by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the North Carolina Geological Survey.
"Neogene Fossils of North Carolina" and "Cretaceous and Paleogene Fossils of North Carolina," guidebooks by Richard Chandler and John Timmerman. Published by the North Carolina Fossil Club.
Do a search for "fossils of the Roanoke Valley."
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. (919) 733-7450.
The Schiele Museum in Gastonia. (704) 866-6900.
The Aurora Fossil Museum in Aurora. (252) 322-4238.

About the Author

Rufus Johnson is a fossil hobbyist and member of Halifax EMC. He can be reached at fossilman@vol.com

Learn more about fossils in North Carolina

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Comments (12)

Are there any guides who take people fossil hunting? We live in Florida and fossil in the Peace River and would like to try a different area but we would need a guide to help us know where to look
Priscilla MacDonald |
May 18, 2019 |
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Has anyone been to the old rock quarries off of Mt. Hope Church Rd or NC 61 off of I-40/I-85 in Guilford County? As a teenager and a young adult I use to swim and rock climb at those 2 old quarries quite a bit. Seashells and other sea creatures are in the rock and plentiful too! Also nearby cactus grows wild. I wish that I knew more of the history of this area. I don’t live too far away. Contact me for more information and I’ll also tell you what I know, thanks!

blackbeard13@twc.com (Mark)
Mark Webster |
November 09, 2020 |
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- I live in nash county and real close to edcombe county..i wish i knew around here to look for some cause i def would go look
  Kelly |
  November 13, 2020 |
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  - I live in nash county and ive found tons of fossils in the tar river. Megalodon teeth, whale bones, Giant extinct scallop shells. Sometimes ive found petrified wood digging in red clay
    Tyler |
    August 30, 2021 |
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- I would be interested in hearing about the fossils in the Rowan county quarries. Thanks in advance.
  Michael |
  December 21, 2021 |
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I have 2 pieces of what appears to be petrified wood. Who do I get to verify? One piece is small but very heavy and the other piece is larger.
Helen Baker |
April 02, 2022 |
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- I would try taking them to the North Carolina Museum of Natural History
  Jason Hawes |
  February 21, 2023 |
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Has anyone researched the fossilized sea biscuits that have been washing up at Holden Beach due to dredging?
Jeannie Dunnigan |
November 15, 2022 |
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I have found what looks like dinosaur teeth all around my property in burke co they are rock but these are just like teeth some still are teeth but they have a flat side where the other tooth set beside it everyone says I'm crazy but I know that that's what they are because I have 10 or 20 same shape different size ones they are rock but they used to be teeth
Robin Clawson |
May 18, 2023 |
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- can you post some photos please
  ken comito |
  September 22, 2023 |
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yeah if I can figure out how to send them
Robin Clawson |
October 02, 2023 |
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Can you email the photos? comito6@bellsouth.net
Kenneth Comito |
October 02, 2023 |
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