The rocks of Deskati in the prefecture of Grevena, northwestern Greece, have attracted the interest of geologists worldwide as they tell the geological history of the earth and were the basis for the development of the tectonic plates theory.
Deskati and the greater region of Vounasa are among the nine geo-wonders in the Pindos Mountain Range that were the subject of a scientific conference held in the Prefecture of Grevena aimed at their promotion into tourist destinations.
The rocks of Deskati were created 700 million years ago when the ancient supercontinent Pangaea (meaning "all earth" in Greek) broke up to form the European and African continents. Later they were submerged into the Tethys Ocean that existed between the continents and united the region of today's Britain with China.
After several hundred million years the continents of Europe and Africa collided, resulting in the creation of the Alps. Tethys Ocean defined the landscape of the eastern Mediterranean and one of its underwater mountain ranges formed Mt Vourinos in Grevena, the region's second geo-wonder. Rocks that are part of the earth's ancient crust that were brought to the surface as a result of the Europe-Africa collision can be found across the Valia Calda National Forest.
The nine geo-wonders of Pindos include the heavily deformed limestone rocks at Mt Tsourgiakas and their small waterfalls, the gorge of Portitsa, the Pierced Rock formed as a result of erosion, Vasilitsa and its multicoloured rocks, the villages of Dotsiko and Mesolouri with their 30-million-years old coral reef and the village of Monachiti with its 50-meter wide vertical rocks.
Meanwhile, the Aliakmon River Gorge is currently being studied by scientists from the United States, the UK, Serbia, Italy and Greece in an intense effort to have its geological data recorded considering that by the end of the next decade it will be flooded as soon as the construction of the Public Power Corporation SA "Ilarion" Dam is completed.
Source: Athens News Agency
No comments:
Post a Comment