The remains of a cetacean, a whale, discovered on August 5, 2006 in an Apennine area near the Oasi di San Giuliano, in Matera province, have been conferred to experts from the Basilicata Archaeological Superintendency.
The unusual thing is that the remains were found in a hilly area, relatively distant from the sea. The 20-meter fossil includes several vertebras with a diameter of 30 centimetres. The discovery was made by the owner of an agricultural tourism company, Vincenzo Ventricelli, 69. The entrepreneur, who initially thought the fossil belonged to a dinosaur, immediately informed the police who called the Superintendency.
The experts, who are awaiting funding for possible excavation works, immediately inspected the spot to protect the finds.
