Stegodon ivory on display at Hyderabad Science Museum

Stegodon was an extinct species of elephant, which lived on Earth millions of years ago. According to scientists, this species existed on Earth from about 10 million years ago to about 6000 years ago. It got its name from its characteristic roof-like teeth, “Stego” meaning roof and “Odon” meaning teeth. These elephants were similar to the ancestors of modern elephants, but were much larger in size.

An exciting story of discovery and conservation

This unique tooth was discovered by the exploration team of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in the Medappalli open cast mine of Ramagundam. This remains were found in a very fragile state during mining work. Experts assembled and preserved it with utmost care, so that it could be displayed in the museum and the general public could see this ancient treasure.

Singareni Pavilion

This tooth is housed in a new gallery called ‘Singareni Mandap’, which has been built in collaboration with SCCL. This gallery was inaugurated recently on Saturday. On this occasion, SCCL President N. Eminent personalities like Balram and GP Birla Institute President Nirmala Birla were present. Not only this tooth, but many other interesting things are displayed in this gallery, like fossils of ancient trees (which have now turned into stone), samples of coal, shale and volcanic ash. All these reflect the rich geological heritage of Singareni region of Telangana.

This exhibition is a great opportunity for the people of Hyderabad and surrounding areas to learn and understand the prehistoric history of their region. It reminds us that the land where we live was once inhabited by giant creatures like the Stegodon. This can prove to be an educational and thrilling experience for those interested in science and history, especially children and students.