Los Angeles La Brea Tar Pits
One of the most fascinating things about the La Brea Tar Pits is their location: these huge pools of tar are sitting right in the center of Los Angeles, with the city built up around them. These huge masses of tar are constantly boiling and bubbling, and within them has been found one of the best preserved and most studied collections of Ice Age fossils in the world.

Tar from the Le Brea Tar Pits was used by the Native American's for thousands of years as both an adhesive as well as material to waterproof baskets and canoes. The Tar Pits were first discovered by white explorers in 1769 when the Portola Expedition passed through them. This discovery proved to be the first indication of oil ever found in Western America

By the early 20th Century bones had been found in the tar pits, and at first were though to have been those of cattle that had wandered into the tar. It wasn't until further research was carried out that it was discovered that many of the bones found here belonged ancient animals that roamed the earth up to 40 000 years ago.

To this day over 500 000 specimens have been removed from the Tar Pits, and the area is under constant research of Paleontologists. This amazing place has given the modern world a wealth of knowledge of what the California area would have been like during the ice age, with its fossils of ancient mammals, birds and plants.

The Tar Pits are located in Hancock Park, and make for a fun and educational day of exploration. The Page Museum is also located here, where visitors can learn about the Los Angeles area as it was 40 000 years ago.

Website www.tarpits.org