9M-year-old fossils unearthed in southwestern Turkey

By Mustafa Degirmencioglu

DENIZLI, Turkey (AA) – Researchers in southwestern Turkey discovered fossils belonging to eight different animal species, including mammoths, giraffes and rhinoceroses.

The discovery came during the survey research of a group of scientists from Turkey and a Paris museum, in Denizli, Aegean Turkey.

The scientists estimated the animals have lived at least 1.2 million years ago, which may even go back to 9 million years ago.

They said the fossils belonged to three different cavicornias and a giraffe from Miocene period, namely 7-9 million years ago, as well as mammoth, rhinoceros, horse and deer fossils from Pleistocene period of 1.2 years ago.

Ahmet Ihsan Aytek, an anthropology professor at Pamukkale University in Denizli, said that the discovery of fossils of animals such as mammoth and rhino proves that Anatolia was once very rich in animal species.

Aytek also added that there is not such a well-preserved fossil of mammoth chin even in Europe, describing it “a significant discovery.”

It is of particular importance that the animals lived at the same time with the ancient people in Anatolia, he stressed.

* Writing by Fahri Aksut