The World of Elephants - International Congress, Rome 2001

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this short presentation is to summarize all available knowledge on the Tilos elephants, and to briefly mention some of the latest results on their taphonomy from the analysis of hundreds of drawings and pictures have been taken at different depths and sites in the cave (Theodorou, in prep). During the first 10 years, our efforts were aimed at gathering information on the stratigraphy, from the surface of the sediment up to a depth of 8.5 meters. Slowly it became clear that in order to answer some crucial questions about the cave fauna, research should give special emphasis to the detailed taphonomy. The extinction event of the elephants had to be correlated with Late Quaternary climatic events, volcanic activity or the possible co-occurrence of man and elephant on the Island during the Holocene. We had to deal with absolute dating, fossilization and taphonomy. The occurence of newly born, juvenile, adult and aged animals had to be explained. Morphological and biometrical studies produced significant information (Theodorou 1983) and allowed the recognition of two size groups belonging to males and females. The lack of complete skeletons, significant articulated parts, a complete vertebral column or significant cranial remains prevented us until now from giving a complete presentation and description of the elephants, and provisionally the name “Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri” was used, though it was clear (Theodorou 1983) that there was no direct contact between the populations of different Mediterranean Islands. We also had to answer some important questions. If deposition of the bones in the sediment was natural, could it be correlated with a catastrophic event, or did humans introduce the fossil bones while residing in the cave? Did people use the elephants for food? Did they transfer elephant body parts into the cave after killing the animals in the open? Did people arrive on the island before or after the extinction of the elephants?

2. EXCAVATIONS OF THE LAST DECADE

During the last 10 years we have begun to collect data that could give answers to the above-mentioned questions. We changed our way of working. Instead of digging deeper, we started to uncover large surfaces, good for taphonomical studies. To do this we had to face many serious technical problems, some still unsolved. Most of the sediment surface of the first cave chamber is covered by rocks.

The excavations of the last ten years at Charkadio cave on Tilos Island, Dodekanese, Greece

G.E. Theodorou, N.K. Symeonides

Department of Historical Geology and Palaeontology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

SUMMARY:

The excavations at Charkadio cave on the island of Tilos have brought to light a very rich fauna of endemic fossil dwarf elephants. The excavations, by the Department of Historical Geology and Palaeontology of University of Athens, started in 1971 and continue until today (Symeonides 1972, Bachmayer et al. 1976, 1984, Theodorou 1983, 1984, 1988, Theodorou et al. 1997). Recent excavations (July 2000 and July 2001) revealed for first time significant dwarf elephant skeletal remains, such as anterior and posterior legs and vertebrae from different juvenile and adult animals in anatomical position. The findings are presented to the public at the Town Hall of Megalo Chorio on Tilos Island.

The excavations of the last ten years in the Charkadio elephant Cave on Tilos Island, Dodekanese, Greece

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The taphonomical study allowed us in July 2000 and July 2001 to document the existence of articulated long bones, vertebrae in natural sequence, carpal and tarsal bones etc., all in situ. The excavations also revealed also for first time (July 2000) inclined fossiliferous layers dipping toward the southeastern corner of the cave. Skeletal remains have been used for DNA analysis (Poulakakis, in prep.) revealing a relationship to recent Asiatic elephants. Separate studies carried out on the fossilization (Theodorou et al. 1985, Stathopoulou 2000) and studies on the micromorphology of tusks and bones (Theodorou et al, in prep.) have allowed us better to understand the morphology and evolution of the Tilos elephants, the last European elephants. These studies make up the database necessary to allow the study of elephant remains found in archaeological collections all over Greece and especially on islands with endemic elephants. It is well known that all such remains are usually attributed to trade and not to the collection of fossils by Man. The relation of the Tilos elephants to Man is still unclear. The findings in anatomical position in layers that correspond to the last eustatic minimum cannot be correlated with human activity, making the problematic tusks fragments published long ago the only indication of Man in the cave.

4. PRESENTATION OF SCIENTIFIC RESULTS TO THE PUBLIC

An exhibition about the excavations opened in 1994 at the Town Hall of Tilos, and it will be soon transferred to a new building close to the cave that is being constructed. The small openair summer theater, which was constructed by the Municipality of Tilos near Charkadio, and the asphalt road to the cave, have given a new dimension to the fossiliferous locality. All of these have allowed us to bring Vertebrate Palaeontology where it belongs: to the people of Greece and of Europe, who have to understand the very important environmental changes that occurred during Quaternary and the quality and fragility of the fossil treasures from our past that have to be studied, protected and preserved.

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

During each of the last 10 years excavations have been financed by the Ministry of the Aegean, and during the last 3 years they are cofinanced by the General Secretary of Research and Technology at Athens. Our efforts to present to the public the results of our research programme have been strongly supported by the Major of Tilos, Mr. A. Aliferis.

6. REFERENCES

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Bachmayer, Fr., Symeonidis, N. & Zapfe, H. 1984. Die Ausgrabungen in der Zwergelefantenhöhle der Insel Tilos (Dodekanes, Griechenland) im Jahr 1983, Sitzung. der Österr. Akad. der Wissenschaften Mathem.-naturw. Kl., Abt. I., 193: 6-10.

Lampropoulou, G. 1999. Taphonomical Observations on the fossil material of excavation 1997, at the dwarf elephant cave Charkadio, on the Tilos Island (Dodekanese, Greece). Unpublished Diplome Paper: 1-100. UOA.

Michalopoulou, M. & Fasoulaki, M. 1998. Absolute dating by ESR in dental remains of Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri) from Charkadio Cave on Tilos Island (Dodekanese, Greece). Unpublished Diplome Paper: 1-97. UOA.

Stathopoulou, E. 2000. Study of the processes of fossilization and the interaction with the environment of Neogene and Quaternary vertebrate bones, Unpublished MSC Thesis: 207. UOA.

Stathopoulou, E. & Theodorou, G. 2001. Observations on the diagenesis of dwarf Elephant skeletal remains from the island of Tilos (Dodekanese, Greece). This volume. Symeonidis, N.K. 1972. Die entdeckung von Zwergelefanten inder Höhle “Charkadio” auf der Insel Tilos (Dodekanes, Griechenland). Ann. Geol. Pays Hell., 24: 445-461.

Symeonidis, N. &. Theodorou, G. 1997. The story of the last European Elephants. Int. Ecological Congress. Peace, Environment, Culure and Tourism. Mediterranean 2000, Tilos Dodecanese, 14-21 Sept. 1997. Unesco, Tilos, Dodecanese: 27-28.

Theodorou, G.E. 1987. Environmental factors affecting the evolution of island endemics. The Tilos Example. EUG IV,13-16 April 1987, Strasbourg. Modern Geology, 13: 183-188.

Theodorou, G. & Agiadi, K. 2001. Observations on fossil tusks from the Charkadio Cave (Tilos, Dodekanisa, Greece) under optical and scanning Electron Microscope. This volume. Theodorou, G.E. 1983. The dwarf elephants of the Charkadio cave on the island of Tilos (Dodekanese, Greece), PHD, Dissertation: 1-231. UOA (In Greek).

Theodorou, G. 1983/4. Die Fossilen Zwergelefanten der Höhle Charkadio auf der Insel Tilos (Dodekanes, Griechenland). Österreichische Akad. der Wissenschaften, Math.- natur-wissenschaftliche Kl. Anzeiger, 120: 83-85.

Theodorou, G.E. 1985. On the occurrence of normal size pleistocene elephants on Crete island. EUG III, 1-4, April 1985, Strasbourg. Terra Cognita, 5 (2-3): SH15.

Theodorou, G.E. 1988. Environmental Factors Affecting The Evolution Of Island Endemics: The Tilos Example From Greece. Modern Geology, 13: 183-188.

Theodorou, G.E., Bassiakos, J.E. & The excavations of the last ten years in the Charkadio elephant Cave on Tilos Island, Dodekanese, Greece

The World of Elephants - International Congress, Rome 2001

Papadopoulos, N.N. 1986. Uranium microdistribution in vertebrate skeletal remains from Caenozoic localities in Greece. Int. Symposium on Archaeometry. 19-23 May 1986, Abstract Volume: 184. Archaeometry. Proc. of the 25th Int. Symposium. 1989: 75-85.

Theodorou, G.E., Karistineos, N.K. & Papadopoulos, N.N. 1985/6. Uranium in fossil Caenozoic Vertebrates from Greece. Ann. Geol. Pays Hell. 33/1: 39-49.