Mokattam Formation
| Mokattam Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: | |
A limestone quarry in the Mokattam Hills | |
| Type | Sedimentary |
| Sub-units | Building Stone Member, Giushi Member |
| Underlies | Maadi Formation |
| Overlies | Minia Formation |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Limestone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 30°00′N 31°18′E / 30.0°N 31.3°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 17°06′N 33°00′E / 17.1°N 33.0°E |
| Country | Egypt |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Mokattam Hills |
The Mokattam Formation is a Middle Eocene-aged geological formation in northern Egypt. Consisting of nummulitic marine limestone outcropping across the Mokattam Hills, it has been extensively quarried from Ancient Egypt to the present day, and represents the source material for most of the famous archeological sites of Greater Cairo, most notably the Giza pyramid complex, the Great Sphinx, and much of Historic Cairo.
The age of the formation is thought to span from the late Lutetian to the Bartonian, depending on the member (Building Stone or Giushi). However, some authors treat the Giushi Member as its own geologic formation, which would restrict the Mokattam to just the Lutetian.
Numerous fossil fishes are known from this formation. Sirenian bones have been reported. This formation is the type locality of the early whales Protocetus atavus, and the sirenians Eotheroides aegyptiacus and Protosiren fraasi.