The Atlas Obscura Podcast The Pompeii of Nebraska
Dec 30, 2025
Clark Ward, a PhD student and researcher, dives deep into the Ashfall Fossil Beds in Nebraska, a site teeming with ancient fossils like camels and three-toed horses. He shares the fascinating story of how a catastrophic volcanic event preserved these animals, much like Pompeii. The podcast reveals why so many creatures flocked to a seasonal water hole, and discusses the remarkable details of their social structures, revealed through their well-preserved skeletons. Discover the eerie circumstances that led to their demise and how visitors today can explore this active research site.
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Discovery Of Ashfall Fossil Beds
- In 1971 Mike Voorhees found an 80-foot cliff in Antelope County, Nebraska and spotted a rhino skull exposed in the layers.
- That discovery led to the Ashfall Fossil Beds, a site filled with complete skeletons preserved where the animals died.
Ashfall Was A Seasonal Water Hole
- Twelve million years ago this Nebraska site was a bowl-shaped, seasonal water hole where animals gathered to drink.
- Fossils of pond turtles and diatoms confirm it was an ephemeral pond that attracted many herbivores.
A Bizarro Fauna Of Herbivores
- The site contains many herbivores including three camel species, five horse species, and many rhinos that differ from modern forms.
- These were bizarro-world versions of familiar animals, like long-necked camels and three-toed horses.