Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Grevena region of Northern Greece is soon to host a modern Paleontology Centre -to be built at village of Milia- which will house the important findings of the region’s 3-million-year history and contribute to scientific and academic research in the field.
Milia captured the spotlight in 1997, when excavations conducted by the Geology Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, headed by Professor Evagelia Tsoukala, brought to light the longest by then mastodon tusk.
The same team came upon another spectacular finding in 2007, as excavations revealed the longest mastodon tusk that has ever been discovered, as recorded by the Guinness Book of Records.
These rare paleontological findings, testimonies to the area’s unique paleontological wealth, have up to now been housed in Milia’s Natural History Museum, attracting some 30,000 visitors annually.
A contract for the building of the centre was signed on April 11 between the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the City of Grevena and the region’s Development Agency. The centre will feature exhibition premises, interactive exhibitions for students, research laboratories, a library, guest rooms, as well as seminar and conference facilities. It will host scientific seminars, symposiums and specialized summer and winter. In addition, besides being a focal point for paleontology experts, the centre aspires to provide amateur geologists and paleontologists with scientific and technical support.
Greek News Agenda: Prehistoric tusks unearthed in the Peloponnese
