Completely new findings have been made by paleontologists in Nanteuil (Deux-Sèvres). They discovered shells, snails, octopuses, mussels, scallops, marine crocodiles and corals.
The Interceltic Festival of Lorient 2022 –
Since 2014, the La Grande Palisse quarry located at the Lime Kiln site in Nanteuil has been receiving paleontologists. It was during a new excavation campaign in the limestone quarry that new fossils dating back at least 170 million years were discovered.
Since 2014 this large limestone quarry has become the most popular site for European paleontologists. 170 million years ago this rock was covered by the sea.
At this point we would be at the bottom of the sea, sediments and mud have gradually accumulated. The shells we discovered lived in the sea and fell to the bottom of the water when they died. They were then gradually buried over time.
Pierre Lacroix, project manager and paleontologist in Rennes (35)
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It is therefore completely new finds of shells, snails, octopuses, mussels, scallops, saltwater crocodiles and corals that have been discovered.
There, ammonites were discovered. The interesting thing is that they are exactly where we thought we would find them.
Pierre Lacroix, project manager and paleontologist in Rennes (35)
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These paleontologists have discovered a brachiopod, a kind of shell that dates back to nearly 170 million years ago.
For five generations this limestone quarry has been exploited for the calcination of agricultural land and old buildings, but a small place is reserved for research.
We are giving them access to an area of the quarry that we will no longer exploit. We can continue to work without obstacles.
Jérôme Labasse, owner of the quarryEdit quote
At the end of the research a book will be published and soon a museum with an educational vocation will be created. The fossils of the quarry and six million years of history of the places will be exploded there.
This excavation campaign ends on Friday 16 September. Open doors are offered on this occasion this Saturday.
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