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“Geologists have studied the rocks on Timor-Leste for over one hundred years now and have found out much more about how this island came to be. Perhaps the Boy and the Crocodile, our two legendary companions, can help geologists tell their scientific history of Timor Island. Let us imagine that they continue their fantastic travels into the past, in search of the beginnings of our enchanting island.”

JoséRamos-Horta

OMundoPerdidoTimor-LesteABoyandCrocodileTravelThroughTimetoDiscovertheLongHistoryofTimorAuthors: JoséRamos-HortaandPatriciaVickers-RichArtist: PeterTruslerDesigner: DragaGeltConocoPhillips,SchoolofGeosciences(MonashUniversity),theAustralianDefenceForceandtheAlolaFoundationprovidedconsiderablesupportforthisproject.ISBN

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maginebeingabletowalkfromtimortoJavawithouttheneedforashiptosailbetweeneachland.

ell,maybeonemighthavehadtoswimalittlebit,andbesides,inpasttimes,shipsdidn’texist.Theselandsweresometimesconnected,ornearertooneanother.Inhumantimes,becauseclimatewaschanging,sealevelssometimesfell,makingTimorclosertolandonmanysides.

nceuponatime-atimeofmanythousands,evenmillionsofyearspast,landswereconnected,andthestudyofrocksandfossils“tells”thestoryofthislong,longhistory.

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verhundredsandhundredsandhundredsofyears,ourmostdistantancestorstraveledtomanyoftheselandsandswamintheseasaroundthem-theycrossedmountains,valleys,riversandendlessplains,settlingalongtheway.Sometimes,theyformedcommunities,andatothertimes,theyabandonedeachnewplaceandkeptsearchingforbetterplacesinwhichtoliveandhunt.

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urancientancestorsledverybasiclives.Attimes,lifewasharsh,andtheylivedforfeweryearsthanwedo.Thesedays,itisnotunusualtoknowpeoplethatliveto80yearsormore,butbackinthosetimesitwouldhavebeengoodtohavereachedthirtyyearsofage.Theseancestorsweresmallertoo,perhapsnomorethanameterorsotall.Theyhadnotdiscoveredhowtousefireandcook,andsotheyateeverythingraw.

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ikemanyofus,theywereprobablyterrifiedbylightningandthesoundofthunderatfirst.Theyprobablyhidforfearofdisaster.But,graduallytheyfiguredouthowtoavoidtheconsequencesoftheforcesofnature-mostofthetime!Sometimes,lightningwouldsetthebushalight,anddespitebeingscaredatfirst,theyprobablyrealizedthatthoseanimalskilledbythefireactuallytastedgreat!

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omedecidedtokeepthefiresgoing,becausethemeatfromtheanimalstheyhuntedtastedbetterafterafewminutesonthefire.Afteracontentedmeal,somemusthavelookeduptothenightskiesandwonderedatthemillionsofstars.Theymusthavewonderedaboutearthquakesandhowthingschangedovertime.

nmanyplacesonEarth,justlikeinTimor-Lestetoday,therearesignsthatthecontinentsarerestless,theymove,slowly,eversoslowly.But,movetheydo!Ourancestorscertainlywouldhavebeenverystartledandfrightenedwhenthegroundstartedshaking!Sometimeshugewaveswouldcrasharoundtheshoresshortlyaftertheseearthquakes.Wehavelearnedwhatthesedangersignsmeanandthatwithearthquakes,onemustbeawarethattidalwavescouldfollow.

ndthesearecluesthattellusthatthesurfaceoftheEarthischanging-continentsaremoving.Becauseearthquakescanchangetheseafloor,andthisaffectstheoceanwatersaboveit-creatingthosetidalwaves(tsunamis).Theseeventsareconnected.

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o,ourancestorsbegantothinkaboutthemysteriousandwonderfulthingstheyexperiencedandtellstoriesaboutthemtotheirchildren.Theybecameimportantstories-legendsthatweretoldfromgenerationtogeneration.Legendshelpedthemtoremembertheirhistoryandplacetheirworldinsomeorder.

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hereisaTimoreselegendabouthowthebeautifulislandofTimorcameintobeing.Thelegendtellsofastrangecreaturethatsupposedlyroamedthere,ayounganimal,verycurious,anexplorer.Itwouldswimthevastseasandwalkontothedrylandinsearchoffreshfruitandotheranimalstoeat.Thecreaturewouldstartitsexpeditionveryearlywhenthesunwasjustrisingoverthehorizon,whenitwasnotsohot.Afteronlyanhourorsoitwouldhaveeatenplentyofwildfruitandsnatchedadeerorapigandthenmadeitswaybacktothecoolseas,verysatisfied.

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helegendrecountshowthiscreature,aCrocodile,whoselifewassavedbyayoungBoywhenhehelpedtheCrocodilereachthewaterafterhatchingfromhisegg,formedalastingfriendshipwiththeBoy.TheBoyandtheCrocodilebecamegreatcompanions.Theywentonmanylongjourneys,exploringtogethertheworldweknowtodayandsomeofitshistory.

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et’simaginenowthataftermanyofthesetravelstheBoyaskedtheCrocodiletotakehimfarbackintime-totheverybeginningofTimor’slonghistory.Andlet’simaginethattheCrocodile,beingwise,said:“IcandothatbecausepeoplewhostudytherocksofTimortodayhavesomeideasaboutthisancienthistory.Thesearegeologists,andIhavetalkedtothem!”

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heyhadalreadyseensomuchtogetherandhadtraveledgreatdistancesaroundtheplanet,somorenewtravelsexcitedtheBoy.“Crocodile,wheredidalltherockscomefromthatmakeTimor?Whatdothegeologistssay.”AndtheCrocodileansweredinthisway:

“Icouldjusttellyou,butbeforeIgettooold,letmetakeyouononelastjourneythroughtimethatwillgiveyousomeanswers!”

“Let’sgoonareallybigjourney-backthroughhistorytotheoldesttimesIknowaboutinTimor!”

Today!

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nthespaceofonemagicaldaytheCrocodileandtheBoytraveledbackintimeandfoundthemselvesintheseamorethan250millionyearsago!ItwasatimethatgeologistsnamedthePermianperiod.TheBoywasamazed,becauseashelookedaroundhesawnoisland.Theoceanstretchedtothehorizoninalldirections.Timordidnotexistasanisland-itwasonlythefloorofasea.

Today!

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et’sdive,”saidtheCrocodile,warningtheBoythathemustholdhisbreathforquiteawhile.“Yousee”continuedtheCrocodile,“Timorwasnotanislandatthistime.Itwasallbelowthesea.”Astheywentdeeper,everywheretheBoylookedhesawcreaturesthatwereverystrangetohim,butotherswerealittlemorefamiliar.Infact,somewereabitlikethecreatureshehadseenonthereefsaroundTimor-Leste.Therewerebeautifulsea-lilies.Thesewereanimalsthatgeologistscallcrinoids,andsomehavesurvivedtoliveinTimoreseseastoday.Theyhavesetsof“arms”thatwaveintheseacurrentstocatchsmallparticlesoffood.Thesearmsareattachedtothebottomoftheseabyalong,ropeystemmadeupbyastackoflittlediscs,tinybuttonswithholesinthemiddle.“IhaveseenthingslikethatintherocksneartheTelecomTowernearLaleia,XananaGusmao’shometown,”saidtheBoy.TheCrocodilereplied,“Yes,thoserockscontainthefossilremainsoftheseancientsea-lilies.Wecannowimagineexactlywhatthoseprehistoriconeslookedlike.”

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itheyeswide,theysawstrangeshellsthatlookedlikeclams.Theywerethehomesofanimalscalledbrachiopods.Oneshellwaslargerthantheother,unlikeclamsthathavetwoequal-sizedshells.Therewerefan-likeanimalscalledbryozoanstoo.Theywereswayingintheoceancurrents.Eachfanwasmadeupofcoloniesofhundredsoflittleanimals,eachonesiftingtinypiecesoffoodfromthewaterastheyswayed.

sealily brachiopod bryozoan

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hentheBoyshoutedtotheCrocodile”What’sthat,Crocodile?”Itwassomethingthathehadneverseenbeforeinallofhistravels.Ithadlotsofsegmentsandtwolargeeyepatchesmadeupofhundredsoflittleeyes–abitlikeaflyoragrasshopper‘seyes.Itsbodyhadthreemainparts,manylegsoneachsideandalittlearmouredtail.TheCrocodileidentifieditandexplained,“Boy,thatisatrilobite!Itisanancientrelativeofcrabsandlobsters,andthesetrilobiteslivedhappilyhereformanymillionsofyears.Somethingwipedthemalloutaround220millionyearsago.Maybeitwasahugemeteoritefromouterspacethathitourplanetandcausedchaos.Maybealargenumberofvolcanoeswereeruptingatthattime,cloudingtheskywithashandchangingtheclimate.Maybeitwasbothatthesametime.Whateveritwas,itwasadisasterfortheplanet,causingtidalwavesandgreatfires,andmanythingsdiedout.”

trilobiteshootingstar(ameteorite) volcano

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stheBoymarveledatthestrangebeautyandcomplexityoftheselonglostanimalsfromTimor-Lestelongago,henoticedothermorefamiliarcreatures.SomewereliketheNautilusthatswimsaroundTimor-Lestetodayandwhoseshellsarefoundonthebeaches.Theshellsoftheseancientcreaturesweredifferent,however,andtheBoycouldseethatthewavylinesontheoutsideoftheshellsweremorecomplicated.Theseweretheammonites,fastpredatorswitheyesandtentacles,ancientrelativesoftheNautilusandcousinstothecuttlefish,squidandoctopus.

cuttlefishNautilus

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heCrocodileandtheBoyreturnedtotheoceansurface.Floatingthere,theBoynoticedsomebeautifulleavesdriftingby.Theoceanhadbecomeshallowandtheseafloorrosetowardavastland,theancientsupercontinentthatgeologistscallGondwana.ThebreezeshadblowntheseleavesfromGlossopteristreesthatgrewalloverGondwanainpasttimes.TodaywecanfindfossilsofleavesandstemsfromthesetreesinrocksinSouthAmerica,NewZealand,Africa,India,AntarcticaandAustralia,butthelivingtreeshavelonggone.Yes,thevastflatlandtheycouldnowseeloomingofftotheSouthwastoslowlyfragmentandformeachofthesemodernlandsweknowtoday.

Glossopteris

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tisamazing”,theCrocodilesaidtotheBoy.“Lookcloselyatthewater.Therearealsotiny,tinyshelledthingsfloatinginthesea.Wereallyneedamagnifyingglasstoseethemwell.Theyarelittleone-celledthingscalledforams(shortforForaminifera),andtheymakeupthefoodofmanyoftheanimalswehaveseenalready.Youwillmissthemifyoudon’tlookmoreclosely!”

TinyForaminiferainfrontoftheCrocodile’seye

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heBoythensaidtotheCrocodile“Iwouldliketogotoanothertime,closertothetimewecamefrom.”AndsotheCrocodilemovedclosertotoday.Theytraveledtothetimeofthedinosaurs.Dinosaurslivedinmanyplacesfromaround180millionto65millionyearsago.ThevastlandofGondwanahadstartedtobreakup,andbytheendoftheperiodonlyAustralia,AntarcticaandthetipofSouthAmericaremainedconnected.Timor-LestewasstillundertheseaalongAustralia’snorthwesternedge,butitwasbeginningitsjourney,alongwithAustralia,towardsAsia!

250MillionYearsAgo100MillionYearsAgo10,000YearsAgo

Continentshavemovedinthepast.=Timor-Leste

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stheytraveledintheseancienttimes,gettingcloserandclosertotoday,theBoyandtheCrocodilekeptdivingtoseewhattheycould.Therewerenomoretrilobites,buttherewerelotsofammonitesandallkindsoffish.Theysawahugereptilewithalongneckandpaddlesforlegs!Itwasapleisiosaur,anditdiveddownbelowthemchasingaschooloffish.Suddenly,theBoythoughthesawagroupofdolphins,buttheywereactuallystrangereptilescalledichthyosaurs.OneswamrightpasthimandsnappeduponeoftheNautilusrelatives,anammonite,thenswamoutofsightwithit!Theseawasshallower,andbeautifulcoralsweregrowingoverthesea-bedthatwastobecomeTimor.ThefossilremainsofthesecoralshavebeenpreservedintherocksaroundOssuandViqueque,andotherpartsofTimor.

plesiosaur ichthyosaur

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utthenearestdrylandatthistimewasAustraliaandmanydifferentplantsandanimalswerenowlivingthere.Timorstilllayunderthesea.Thereweredinosaursonthelandtothesouth–big,long-necked,four-footedoneslikeRhoetosaurusaswellasfierce,two-footed,meat-eatingtheropods.Today,geologistshaveevendiscoveredthefossilbonesofsmalldinosaursaswell.Theynamedalittleplant-eatingone,Leaellynasaura,afteraschoolgirl,andanotherinsect-eatingone,Timimus,afteraschoolboyliketheCrocodile’sfriend.

TimimusandLeaellynasaura

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ecauseofthetheropods,theBoysaiditwasnotagoodideatotravelthereanylonger,andsoheurgedtheCrocodiletomovetoyoungertimes!

igshallowreefsbegantoform–withallkindsofcoralsandseaurchinsandclamsandseasnails.Today,inTimor-LestetherearerockscalledtheLaragutiFormationthatcontainthefossilsoftheseshallowseacreatures.Otherrockshavefossilsofleavesfromlandplantsthatmusthavebeenlivingnotsofaraway.“Itseems,”saidtheCrocodile,“thatTimor-Lestewasatlastrisingfromthesea.ItisbeginningtobecometheislandthatIforminmylegend.”Theyhadreachedatimeabout6millionyearsago,andtherewaslandabovethewaves.Timor-LestehadmovedfarnorthandwasbeginningtobumpagainstAsia,forcingtheancientseabeds,preservedasrocks,upwardsandthemountainsofTimor-Lestetorise.Thisiswhythoserocksfrombeneaththeseawiththeremainsofallthoseancientseacreatures(theirfossils)werenowbeingexposedondryland.Thisiswhyyoufindcoralsthatoncelivedundertheseanowinthehighmountains.

reefcoral

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hetwocompanionsweregettingtired.Ithadbeenalongjourney,buttheCrocodilesaid“Ihaveonemoreinterestingthingtotellyouaboutyourisland.DoyourememberallthosetinylittlelivingcellscalledForaminiferathatwesawlong,longagothatfloatedinfrontofoureyes?”TheBoysurelydidbecausehismemorywasgood.“Well,”saidtheCrocodile,“thosetinylifeformsandotherslikethem,alongwiththeplantfragmentsfromthosetimes,becomeveryimportantforthefuture.Astheydied,theirbodiessankandwereburiedintheoceanmud.TheyaccumulatedinmudsthatwereforceddeeperanddeeperintotheEarth,weresquashedandheatedunderenormouspressure.Themudturnedintorockandthoseorganicremainsturnedintooilandgas,andthishasbecomeanimportantresourceforTimor-Leste.Youmustuseitverywisely!”

Foraminifera

DrillingplatformintheTimorSea,southeastofTimor,wheregeologistssearchforoilandgasintherocksbeneaththeseafloor.

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avingsaidthat,theCrocodilelaydowntorest,verycontentthathehadtraveledinthismagicaltimestoryof250millionyearswithhisdearcompanion.TheCrocodileclosedhiseyesandbecametheislandofTimor,sothelegendsays.TheBoywascontenttoo.HenowunderstoodthathisislandhomeandhispeoplehadalongandcomplicatedhistoryandthatTimor-Leste’speople,youngandolder,withsuchaverylonghistory,couldbuildacountry’sfuture.Hethoughthemightjustbecomeageologist.

LookingeastfromDiliHarbourtomountainsthatresembleacrocodile.IsthisthesourceoftheCrocodilelegend?A“geologictimescale”thatshowswhen

differentanimalsandplantslivedinthepast.

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32OurFuture