Memory of time

Period: Cenomanian, upper cretaceous - 100million years 

Altitude: 650m

Haqil is mountain hamlet located at the North East of Jbeil. This site occupies the south west side of the ravine cutting through the hamlet.

The ravine of Haqil shows alternating hard limestone beds and marl-limestone stripes.

The fauna includes: fish, crustaceans and cephalopods.

Note: The site of Haqil dates back to the early Cenomanian almost at the same level as that of Hgula . 60% of the species are common to both locations.

Period: Cenomanian, upper cretaceous - 100million years.

Altitude : 850 m

Hgula is a village lost in the mountains surrounding Jbeil from the East below the covent of St. Charbel. The rocks are made of alternating hard limestone beds and softer stripes of marl limestone. It was only in 1878 that E. R. Lewis reported the discovery of the Hgula deposit, which “lies a little to the south of Haqil, at a distance of about two and a half hours.

The site starts in the village. It is by cutting the flagstones in 2 that we unveil fish and crustaceans. However, the preparation of the materials is difficult due to the hard rocks.

The fauna includes, fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.

Period: Turonian, Upper cretaceous- 90 million years

Altitude: 450m

The En Nammoura deposit is located a little farther south than Haqil and Hgula. Although it has been known for more than forty years for its content of fossil fishes and plants, it first appeared in the literature only towards the end of the last century, in 1988, cited by Mireille Gayet as Aïn-el-Ghârboûr during the description of a small fish called Gharbouria libanica.

The quarry was opened in 1915 by a priest from Mar Idna who was looking for paving stone for the local monastery.

The number of fossils found in this site is limited, and the vast majority of species have not yet been studied.

Period: Santonian, upper cretaceous - 83 million years

Altitude: 250 m

The Sahel Alma deposit may be a simple band of chalky limestone of Upper Santonian age located between two N-S faults and protected from erosion by a chalky limestone, or could have the same origin as those at Haqil and Hgula (repeated collapses): there is a continuing disagreement