Renowacja i konserwacja kamiennej płyty z tropami dinozaurów w rezerwacie przyrody Gagaty Sołtykowskie

Abstract

Renovation and conservation of the sandstone layer exposing trackways of dinosaurs in the nature reserve Gagaty Sołtykowskie (central Poland).A b s t r a c t. The inanimate nature reserve Gagaty Sołtykowskie is located in the northern part of the Permian-Mesozoic margin of the Holy Cross Mountains, within the abandoned Odrowąż quarry. Trackways of dinosaurs have been printed on a sandstone bedding plane within the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian) Zagaje Formation. The tracks are the oldest known evidence of a group life of the herbivore (plant-eating) sauropods and of a hunting group of predatory theropods. After twenty years of being exposed to visitors, the sandstone layer had to be thoroughly renovated and conserved. On the basis of an evaluation of its state of preservation followed by laboratory examinations, the authors have prepared the program of conservation procedures and established a set of appropriate materials. The surface of the layer has been cleaned and its loose fragments fixed with the Injektionharz 100 (Remmers) glue. The layer has been impregnated and fractures sealed with an organosilicon compound KSE 100 and KSE 300 (Remmers). The tracks of dinosaurs have become more vivid due to their saturation with the mixture of the KSE 300 and a mineral pigment.