Post by Chairborne GSL

In 1710 or 1711 (sources vary) the Russian-born Swiss physician and Greek teacher Eirini d'Eyrinys (also spelled as Eirini d'Eirinis) discovered asphaltum at val-de-Travers, (Neuchaetel). He established a bitumen mine de la presta there in 1719 that operated until 1986