The Hipparions of the Lower Axios Valley (Macedonia, Greece). Implications for the Neogene Stratigraphy and the Evolution of Hipparions

Abstract

The Neogene mammalian localities of the lower Axios valley were discovered at the beginning of this century and there are several references about them (Andrews, 1918; Bourcart, 1919; Arambourg and Piveteau, 1929). The best of the old collections, now stored in Paris (Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle), is that of Arambourg, who collected the material during his army service in Macedonia during the First World War. After that collection nobody excavated in the area and only some isolated specimens were found by the field workers. In 1972 the University of Thessaloniki (Laboratory of Geology and Paleontology) in collaboration with the University of Paris VI and later with the University of Poitiers (Laboratoire de Paléontologie des Vertébrés et Paléontologie Humaine) began a new campaign of excavations in the lower Axios valley. Several mammalian localities were discovered and abundant material has been unearthed. Most of the excavated sites are new, as those of RP1, RZ/1, PXM, VTK, DIT, DKO. The new localities, the new collected material, its determination and comparison with those of Eurasian localities allow a detail dating of the Neogene deposits of the lower Axios valley. The research and the excavations in the area have continued and always new and interesting material is unearthed.