Tendaguru

Tendaguru refers to a major fossil-bearing formation in southeastern Tanzania, centered on Tendaguru Hill in the Lindi Region. The Tendaguru Beds comprise sedimentary deposits that date to the Late Jurassic, with some units extending into the Early Cretaceous, representing a fluvial to deltaic environment that preserved a diverse vertebrate fauna.

The beds were explored most intensively during German scientific expeditions from 1907 to 1913, led by Werner Janensch. Thousands of bones were recovered and transported to European museums, most notably the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin. The site yielded some of the most complete and famous sauropod skeletons ever found, including Brachiosaurus brancai (often referred to as Giraffatitan brancai in modern taxonomy), as well as other sauropods such as Dicraeosaurus hansemanni and Tornieria africana. The assemblage also included theropods and ornithischians, reflecting a rich Jurassic terrestrial ecosystem.

Significance of Tendaguru lies in its status as one of Africa’s most productive and historically important dinosaur fossil sites, contributing substantially to the understanding of sauropod anatomy, diversity, and growth. The discoveries helped shape early 20th-century paleontology and remain central to studies of Gondwanan vertebrate faunas.

Today, Tendaguru is the focus of ongoing scientific research by Tanzanian and international teams. Fossils from the Tendaguru beds are distributed across several museums, with major specimens housed in Berlin and in Tanzania. The site continues to serve as a key reference for Late Jurassic vertebrate life in Africa.