Matera Archaeological Museum opens exhibit dedicated to the remains of the Julian whale fossil

The National Museums of Matera are inaugurating theexhibit dedicated to the remains of the fossil of the Julian whale, the baleen whale that lived in the Lower Pleistocene 1.5 million years ago and was found in 2006 on the banks of the San Giuliano dam, a few kilometers from Matera. The story of this exceptional find has been complex from the moment of its discovery: the location of the find, the state of preservation, the difficult excavation operations and the exceptional size of the remains made its recovery a real undertaking.

Since then, Giuliana has faced many vicissitudes, and only after a long time was it possible to start a complete conservation process, with a full restoration aimed at returning this important discovery to the community and visitors to the “Domenico Ridola” National Archaeological Museum. A long period of intensive work by a multidisciplinary team of paleontologists, restorers, archaeologists and geologists was required to answer the many questions raised by this extraordinary find. Each member of the team contributed their specific expertise, working tirelessly with the sole goal of enhancing the find.

Given the peculiarity and fragility of the fossil, it was necessary to define a virtuous process that, starting from the protection of the property, would arrive at its valorization.

The one inaugurated at the National Archaeological Museum “Domenico Ridola” does not represent a permanent exhibit, but a stage of a path that is still evolving.

Matera Archaeological Museum opens exhibit dedicated to the remains of the Julian whale fossil

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