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Palaeontology and Mineralogy Department
Main activities
Fossil mammals, birds and brachiopods of Bulgaria and the world are the subject of palaeontological investigations. The studies deal with their evolution, systematics and distribution. The department is the national centre of archeozoology and palaeontology of vertebrates. The mineralogical studies cover pegmatite mineralisations in intrusives of non-granite composition and metamorphites, as well as skarn (metasomatic) and hydrothermal mineralisations, mainly in Bulgaria.In the Museum branch in Asenovgrad, palaeontological studies on more than 40 species of Late Miocene mammals and the state of nature of that time are in progress.
Current projects
Study of Late Miocene Hominoids from Chirpan Locality
Late Miocene Mammal Fauna of the Republic of Macedonia
Studies of Late Neogene Proboscideans
Hipparion Fauna of the Turolian Locality Strumyani 2
Morphology and Taxonomy of Miocene Birds from Bulgaria and Greece
Study of Late Pliocene Bird Records from Varshets Locality
Revision of the Problematic Late Cretaceous Rhynchonellid Genus Cretirhynchia
Comparative Studies of the Evolution of the Chemical Composition of Tourmalines, Amphiboles, Feldspars, Magnetites, Calcite, Barite, Analcime and Other Minerals
Scientific Staff
Nikolai Spassov — Assoc. Prof. Dr, head of department
Georgi Markov — Sen. Assist. Dr
Latinka Hristova — Sen. Assist. Dr
Chavdar Karov — Assist. MSc
Antoaneta Ilcheva — MSc, palaeontologist
Iliya Dimitrov — MSc, mineralogist
Ljubljana Gramenova — chief technical assistant — householder
Dimitar Kovachev — curator (Branch Asenovgrad)
Hristo Krivenchev — preparator (Branch Asenovgrad)
Nikola Shekerimov — preparator (Branch Asenovgrad)