In the desolate expanses of Egypt’s arid desert, the fossilized vestiges of marine leviathans that once dominated ancient oceans have been discovered, colloquially dubbed the “walking whales” of Egypt.
Emerging from the Wati El Hitan within the Egyptian Sahara’s shifting sands, numerous fossilized whale skeletons have been unearthed, now showcased as the centerpiece of a newly inaugurated museum. Among these relics is an intact skeleton of a legged whale species, spanning over 65 feet (20 meters) in length, dating back 37 million years.
The notion of unearthing whales amidst Egypt’s parched desert seems implausible. Yet, the shifting sands of the Sahara have revealed dozens of these ancient sea behemoths’ fossilized remains. A highlight includes the complete skeleton of a 65-foot (20-meter) legged whale, a relic of a species that roamed the seas 37 million years ago.
A prominent attraction at the new Fossils and Climate Change Museum in Egypt’s Valley of the Whales is the most intact Basilosaurus isis fossil, an archaic form of the ‘legged whale’. These relics provide scientists with profound insights into the evolutionary journey of terrestrial mammals transitioning into modern whales.
Discovered amidst the ever-shifting sands of the Egyptian desert, the largest intact Basilosaurus isis fossil has become a focal point for the museum, constructed at a cost of $2.17 billion (£1.5 billion). This institution was designed to protect and preserve these invaluable fossils.
Inaugurated in the Wadi Al-Hitan, also known as the Valley of the Whales, the museum stands as a testament to a bygone era when the region was submerged beneath a vast primordial ocean, long since vanished due to receding sea levels and continental drift. The museum itself, a sand-hued dome, harmonizes with the desert landscape, providing a sanctuary for numerous fossils.
Displayed within glass cases, the fossilized remnants are accompanied by Stone Age artifacts, indicating human habitation in the vicinity thousands of years ago.
Visitors marvel at the largest intact Basilosaurus isis fossil, prominently exhibited at the Wati El Hitan Fossils and Climate Change Museum during its grand opening. These fossils have become invaluable to paleontologists striving to unravel the evolutionary lineage of contemporary sea mammals.
Gabriel Mikhail, the architect behind the new Fossils and Climate Change Museum, emphasized that the design was intended to seamlessly integrate with the arid environment. He asserted, “Constructing anything that failed to blend with such a magnificent and unique setting would be a transgression against nature.”
