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Sangjogam Rocks |
2009-09-08 |
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Deokmyeong-ri Hai-myeon Goseong-gun Gyeongsangnam-do
Fearful treading sounds of dinosaurs echoing in sea wave caves
In the ancient days, Goseong in Gyeongsangnam-do was a kingdom of dinosaurs. Dinosaurs lived in herds here during the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, which is about 140 million years to 100 million years ago. At that time, this area was a plateau comprised of lakes, marshy lands, rivers and wide fields, and as the climate was hot and humid this area was a paradise for dinosaurs. Goseong-gun area is one of the three most famous dinosaur habitats in the world together with Brazil and Canada.
About 4,300 footprints of dinosaurs were found at the Goseong-gun area. The majority of those footprints were those of herbivore dinosaurs. Ornithopod (鳥脚類 : bird foot species) and Iguanodon category shares 61%, long neck Sauropoda (龍脚類 : dragon foot species) share 34% and only 5% are the footprints of carnivore dinosaurs (獸脚類 : animal foot species). Notably, the footprints of Sauropoda are various-sized, from as small as 9 centimeters to as large as 115 centimeters. Even fossils of dinosaur eggs were found at the beaches of Sinwol-ri Goseong-eup and Pangok-ri Sansan-myeon.
The representative dinosaur fossils can be found in the Sangjogam area, which has been christened Goseong-gun Park. Since professor Yang Seungyeong of Gyeongbuk National University found the footprints of dinosaurs here for the first time in 1982, more than 1,900 footprints have been found. In September, 1999 the footprints were nominated as Natural Monument No. 411 with the name of "Ancient Animal Fossil Site at Myeongdeok-ri Goseong." Judging from the size of the footprints, some giant dinosaurs 18 meters tall and weighing more than 100 tons are assumed to have lived here.
Sangjogam sedimentary rocks resemble table legs
Sangjogam Gun Park is divided into the Jejeon area and Sangjogam area. In the Jejeon area is a little peaceful village and a port with a nearby beach. The beach is about 500 meters long and, as its seawater temperatures and depth are suitable for swimming, many vacationers gather here in summer. The beach has a scenic vista with the Hanryeosudo National Marine Park in front of the beach, and high rough walls of rugged rocks are found to the left side of the beach. Many footprints of dinosaurs can be found near Chotdaebawi Rock to the west of the beach.
If you walk along the trail on the small hill in the Jejeon area beyond Chotdaebawi Rock at low tide, you will reach Mongdol Beach. You can drive about 1 kilometer along the hillside way to the spot. Mongdol coast is covered with smooth pebbles eroded by the sea waves for a thousand years. Though the scenery is wonderful, swimming is not allowed here.
On the other side of Mongdolbat Beach, you will be amazed at the rugged rocky walls made from the strata of rock pillars. A rocky hill 20 meters high with a diameter of some 150 meters features pillars made from huge craggy rocks by the sea. The mysterious shapes of sedimentary rock pillars piled one after another like the legs of a table are called Sangjogam Rocks (床足岩 : table leg rock) or Ssangbal (twin legs) rocks. However, this spot can be approached at low tide and the footprints of dinosaurs on the seaside rocks can be found only at the low ebb tides. So, you have to check the low tide hour at this place to see the dinosaur footprints on the rocks by the sea.
Mazes of sea caves
Sangjogam Rocks will remind you of the famous Chaeseokgang seaside in the Byeonsan area. Some people would say this spot is more attractive than Chaeseokgang. It is because there are several sea caves intermingled like a maze between the rocky table legs of Sangjogam. In the seven sea caves are seven ponds. These caves bear a legend that says seven angels came down from heaven to these caves and wove silk fabric with stone looms to present silk clothes to Okhwangsangje, the highest heavenly god. Thus the little ponds in the caves are called Seonnyeotang, where the legendary angels took a bath.
If you come out of the caves, you will see the sea waves breaking ceaselessly against the seaside rocks that resemble broad stairways and upon which numerous footprints of dinosaurs are imprinted. If you imagine the ancient days when the dinosaurs used to live there, the wild and rough sounds of the sea waves can begin to sound like the fearful treading sounds of giant dinosaurs. Above the dinosaurs’ footprints rise the high Sangjogam Rocks capped by a green forest of pine trees, and beyond the sparkling blue ocean are found the Byeongpungbawi Rocks, like huge walls preserving the Yonggul Sea Cave.
In 2004, Goseong Dinosaur Museum was opened with its building in the shape of an Iguanodon, which is the representative dinosaur of the Goseong area. This museum is a three-story building with one basement floor, and it houses 93 exhibits, including dinosaur fossils. In the plaza of the museum stands the world tallest dinosaur tower and observatory at a height of 24 meters. |
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