Mudcracks and Stromatolites in Mungok-ri, Yeongwol

The mudcracks and stromatolites on the cliffs along the Yeondeokcheon stream in Mungok-ri, Yeongwol, Gangwon State, occur in strata of the Ordovician period of the early Paleozoic era, laid down some 400–500 million years ago. Mudcracks are geological structures that form when sediment deposited under shallow water is exposed to the air and dries out; as the sediment shrinks and contracts, cracks appear and then harden in place. They are valuable scientific evidence that this area once lay beneath water. Stromatolites are sedimentary structures formed as fine sediment grains built up layer upon layer on single-celled primitive micro-organisms, among the earliest forms of life to appear on Earth; they are an extremely rare kind of geological material in Korea. The mudcracks and stromatolites of Mungok-ri, Yeongwol, give a clear picture of the sedimentary environment of the time and so have very great value for scientific preservation.

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Where it is

Region

Yeongwol, Gangwon

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물