Messel Pit Fossil Site History, Travel Information, Facts And More
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PERSONAL INFORMATION
NAME
Messel Pit Fossil Site
OTHER NAMES
Messel pit
COUNTRY
Germany
ADDRESS
Darmstadt-Dieburg, Hesse, Germany
MESSEL PIT FOSSIL SITE PICTURE
More Information
About Messel Pit Fossil Site
Messel Pit is a quarry situated in village Messel in Germany. The site is important due to the number of fossils found here. The site is located 35 kilometers southeast of Frankfurt. It was a mining site for Brown coal and oil shale in 1859 and fossils was discovered from here in 1900. Scientists started excavation here in the 1970s. it became a UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1995. Now the site is also gaining the attention of a number of tourists.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Messel Pit Fossil Site
- It is an important place to helped the world to learn and identify the living atmosphere of the Eocene in a period of 57 million to 36 million years before. The fossils collected from there provide full information about the evolution of mammals.
- The fossils collected from here range from completely articulated skeletons to the contents of stomachs of animals at the time
- It is estimated that there was a volcanic eruption about 48 million years before when hot magma met cold groundwater, it produced hot gases, volcanic ash, and rocks which exploded. Due to which vegetation of a large area and creators were found which was slowly filled with groundwater and rain and founded the Messel lake which is situated close to the location.
- The bottom of the lake was free from oxygen that's why sunken animals and plant fossils were preserved at the place. They are covered with sediments over the course of time.
- About 51000 specimens are found from the site which is completely preserved and shows fine details of the animals.
- The fossils of alligator species named Diplocynodon darwini are found in abundance from the site.
- Also, eight species of fishes including catfish and Gar are also found from the location.
- The fossils of the prehistoric horses are also an important discovery which was found in a hare. Over sixty skeletons of stallions, mares (including pregnant mares), and foals were found. With the help of fossils of pregnant mares, the scientist discovered the fetuses and study about the reproductive system of that time which was quite similar to horses found today.
- Other fossils found from the location were the Jewel beetle, Hedgehog relative, Prosimian, Fossil boa, and Ornate-headed lizard are found from the location.
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