Pebble: A detailed animated journey through time of a Jurassic Coast pebble

A pebble's journey through time on the Jurassic Coast. This version of the animation provides detail about what the pebble encounters and what is happening at each point through 185 million years of Earth History in what is now the 'Jurassic Coast World Heritage site of Dorset & East Devon'.

As part of the celebration of 20 years of being inscribed as a World Heritage Site, selected pebbles have been chosen and decorated by some of the museums and visitor centres along the Jurassic Coast ready to be found and photographed by visitors. Can you find them? When you find them, take a selfie and use #JurassicCoastTurns20 when you post your photos of them on social media.

Visit our website to find out more information about the 20th anniversary activities and events and to learn more about pebbles, the geology and palaeontology of the Jurassic Coast.

Disclaimer: In order to protect the environment - Please do not take pebbles from the beaches and please do not take any of the decorated pebbles away but leave them for other visitors to find, photograph and enjoy. It is strongly advised not to paint pebbles yourself on the beach but to allow those with environmentally-safe methods and materials to do so for your enjoyment.

Animation created by Red Balloon Productions, Bournemouth University

We, and many a-creature before us, have interacted with our coast in a multitude of ways. The humble pebble contains a story millions of years in the making that you can hold in your hand...or crunch underfoot, skim across the sea or perhaps use in your next sandcastle.