Gram Clay Pit - Fish Fossils Found in Fossil Hunting Guide

User Submission:

Date Found: 07/10/2000

Information on Fossil: Lots of cool fish fossils, mostly 1-5cm. One large Holosteus fish fossil (60cm) which is now located in Denmark's National History Museum in Copenhagen. The negative and lots of other people's finds are displayed in Fur's Museum.

Additional Information:

Gram Clay Pit is a fossil collecting location in Haderslev Municipality, Denmark. The site exposes Miocene fossils where visitors can hunt for shark teeth, fish fossils, sea urchins, snails, and mussels. The site is a former industrial clay pit that operated as a brick and tile production facility until 1988. The exposed clay layers reveal a 10 million-year-old seabed from the ancient Gram Sea. The clay pit is part of Museum Sønderjylland and features Denmark's largest collection of fossilized whale skeletons, including unique species found nowhere else in the world. The museum houses the remains of the world's largest known Megalodon shark, measuring 24.3 meters, confirmed in March 2025. Visitors can borrow digging tools and wellington boots at the museum entrance free of charge. The clay pit is accessible year-round, while the museum is open daily except between Christmas and New Year. Summer hours are 10 AM to 5 PM (May 1-August 31), and winter hours are 1 PM to 4 PM. Fossils commonly found include shark teeth from multiple species, shells, sea urchins, and occasionally fish bones. A museum café offers refreshments, and free parking is available. The site transitioned from industrial production to a paleontological research location after clay extraction ceased. Since opening to the public, significant discoveries occur almost annually, including the identification of new species such as the Mojn whale (Dagonodum mojnum) and unique megalodon specimens. The museum exhibition features life-sized displays including a walkthrough replica of Megalodon jaws. This complete guide covers everything you need to know about fossil collecting at Gram Clay Pit, including directions to the site, collecting rules and regulations, the types of fossils you can find, and what to expect during your visit. Gram provides the nearest services and amenities for visiting collectors.

Clay Pit is located at Lergravsvej 2, 6510 Gram, Denmark. The fossil collecting site is in Gram, Haderslev Municipality, Southern Jutland. ### Directions to Gram To reach Gram Clay Pit: Navigate to Lergravsvej 2, 6510 Gram. The site is located approximately 1 kilometer north of Gram town center, between the cities of Haderslev and Ribe. From Haderslev (approximately 20 km), follow Route 24 south toward Ribe. From Ribe (approximately 30 km), follow Route 24 north toward Haderslev. The museum is well-signposted from Route 24. When you arrive, free unlimited parking is available next to the museum, including spaces for coaches. The clay pit is accessible through the museum grounds.

Gram Clay Pit contains Miocene fossils preserved in fine-grained clay sediments. Shark teeth are the primary fossil assemblage at the site, with multiple species represented including the massive Megalodon (Otodus megalodon), basking shark, and sand tiger shark. Fish fossils including scales and occasional bones are also found throughout the collecting area. Sea urchins, snails, and mussel shells occur frequently and represent the diverse invertebrate fauna. Other fossils discovered at Gram include remains of seals, crabs, rays, and the extinct whales Uranocetus and Dagonodum mojnum. While whale bones and other vertebrate material are regularly uncovered, these significant finds must be reported to museum staff.

Gram Clay Pit exposes the Gram Formation, a significant Miocene geological unit in Southern Jutland, Denmark. The formation consists of three distinct layers: glauconite-rich sediments at the base, the Gram Clay in the middle, and Gram sand at the top. The clay deposits reach approximately 35 meters in thickness. Millions of years ago, the area that is now Gram, Denmark was covered by a shallow marine environment known as the Gram Sea. The climate was warm and tropical with open ocean conditions. The water depth ranged from 50 to 100 meters, creating an ideal habitat for diverse marine life. Denmark occupied a more southern latitude during the Miocene, contributing to the warmer conditions. As these ancient organisms died, sediments buried and preserved their remains. Over millions of years, geological processes transformed these sediments into the fossil-bearing clay visible at Gram Clay Pit today. The fine-grained nature of the clay provided exceptional preservation conditions, resulting in Denmark's most complete Miocene fossil assemblage.

Gram Clay Pit originally operated as an industrial site where commercial activities exposed fossil-bearing rock layers. Clay mining for brick and drainpipe production removed overlying sediments and revealed ancient deposits that had been buried for millions of years. Operations by companies including Medusa Portland Cement Company continued until 1988. After industrial operations ceased, Gram Clay Pit transitioned to a location where fossil enthusiasts could legally collect specimens and paleontologists could conduct research. The site became part of Museum Sønderjylland's network, and a dedicated natural history museum opened adjacent to the clay pit in 2005.