The Project
The idea of ‘Think Footprint’ was inspired by a trace fossil reptile footprint on display in Sidmouth Museum, that was found beneath cliffs close to Sidmouth in recent years. The footprint was left by a pre-dinosaur reptile, called a rauisuchian, 240 million years ago. It’s all that remains of the creature’s time on earth, but still a link to it having walked in the geographic area that is now the famous Regency resort with its stunning coastline, part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. “Trace fossils are in many ways more exciting than bones because they were produced by living, breathing animals and so are tiny snapshots into their lives,” said Dr Rob Coram, palaeontologist, and finder of the footprint.
“MAY YOU WALK GENTLY THROUGH THE WORLD AND KNOW ITS BEAUTY” - Apache Blessing
Local children’s author Jo Earlam has written a story 'Rosa's Footprint' that imagines the character of the reptile that left it, doing so as a deliberate message about treating the environment with care and for whoever saw it, to “think” about their own footprint they will leave.
“For me the greatest image is the footprint and it’s a very simple iconic image. Footprints are evocative things”
Dr Brian Cox
Hopefully passionate, enthusiastic people will get involved and determine where this project leads. We’d welcome people with ideas for: website contribution, marketing, administration, business support, and wider community involvement.
