 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Field trip to the Messel Pit, Germany, September 2, 2008
As part of the 2008 International Organisation of Paleobotany conference in Bonn, Germany, we participated in a field trip to the world famous Messel fossil site. Messel has been the source for a number of spectacularly preserved vertebrate and invertebrate fossils for over 100 years. Literally tens of thousands of specimens have been found there during its history, including fish, insects, plants, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The deposit has been dated at approximately 47 million years, placing it in the middle of the Eocene epoch. The Messel Pit is located approximately 30km from Frankfurt, Germany. It was originally worked for coal, iron ore, and extracts from the oil shales. Fossils were found during these excavations, with many of them going to regional museums. After mining operations ceased in the late 1960's and early 1970's, plans were made to turn the pit into a large landfill. These plans were eventually dropped due to political and scientific pressure and the high costs involved. In 1995, the Messel Pit was made an UNESCO World Heritage site. This designation recognizes Messel as a unique and important site of high value, and provides for its protection and preservation. Under the UNESCO auspices, scientific excavations are still going on at the site and important specimens continue to be recovered. ©2008 - 2001 Evolving Earth Foundation. All rights reserved |
|
|
||
