Prehistoric elephant found in Peloponnese
The almost intact skeleton of a prehistoric elephant that lived in what is now the northwestern Peloponnese has been discovered during archaeological excavations south of Patras, the Ministry of Culture said yesterday. The fossilized remains of the large animal, an Elephas Antiquus that roamed the area between 20,000 and 200,000 years ago, were preserved in lake sediments near the village of Lousika. The excavation followed the discovery of sections of tusks, large bones and prehistoric stone tools during construction work in the area – which damaged a tusk and one of the front legs. Other Elephas Antiquus remains have been found in the Peloponnese and northern Greece, while a species of dwarf elephants survived on the island of Tilos until about 4,000 years ago. During his two-day visit, Prodi is expected to stress that, although Brussels would prefer a political solution, its absence will not prevent the republic’s accession.
