9-million-year-old animal fossils discovered in Denizli
Animal fossils estimated to date back 9 million years have been discovered during excavations in the Tavas district of Denizli.
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Excavations carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and led by the Denizli Museum Directorate have identified fossils of elephants, rhinoceroses, anteaters, giraffes, horses, antelopes, and gazelles, as well as a species from the felid family, porcupines, and birds.
Stating that they discovered a "rocky vertebrate fossil" site during surface surveys in Denizli, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet İhsan Aytek, a faculty member at the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science and Letters at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, said in a statement, "This year, we found a species from the felid family, a porcupine, and bird fossils. Our initial observations regarding the species from the felid family suggest it could be a saber-toothed tiger, but we will classify it through detailed studies." Aytek continued his remarks as follows;
"Our porcupine is a species very rarely seen in Anatolia. In this sense, we have unearthed an important fossil. We can say that finding a skull and jawbones preserved in a near-complete state is perhaps a unique example in Anatolia. Due to their physical structure, bird bones are very delicate, and their fossilization is very difficult.
In Anatolia, there is bird bone evidence in only one location from the period between approximately 7 and 9 million years ago. Ours will be the second. Furthermore, we see that we have 2 different bird species, which is a first in Anatolia. These details show how well the fossils in our area are preserved."
Aytek noted that they are not only finding new fossils but also reaching the continuation of last year's findings, adding that they will determine the age range of the fossils as a result of chemical and geological research.
Emphasizing that they have identified many fossil sites in the region where they are working, Aytek stated that they will conduct studies in these areas in the future.
Pointing out that clues regarding the migration movements of animals will also be obtained from the excavations, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aytek said, "This place is important for Turkish paleontology. On the other hand, we have prepared a project with Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, one of Germany's best universities. We will also be conducting studies with them."