A “saber-toothed” cat skull fossil, estimated to be 9 million years old, was found during excavations in the Tavas district. The excavations are being carried out in the Kayaca District under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and were initiated in 2022 under the chairmanship of the Denizli Museum Directorate and the scientific consultancy of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet İhsan Aytek, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Anthropology, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University.
It was stated that paleoanthropologists, paleontologists, geologists and students from various universities participated in the excavation work. After the fossils are brought to light, they are examined by experts in a laboratory environment. In the excavations, which continue every year for 3 weeks, animal fossils thought to have lived 9 million years ago have been found.
500 Fossils Found
Scientific advisor of the excavations, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aytek stated that many animal fossils were found in the research conducted in the region. He stated that fossils of elephants, crocodiles, giraffes, a species from the feline family, porcupines and birds were previously found. Aytek stated that they found 400 fossils belonging to 25 animals in the excavations they carried out with Eberhard Karls University in Germany in 2022 and 2023.
Aytek, who stated that they have found two new horned species and several new bird fossils in this year’s, stated that the most important discovery is their own saber-toothed cat skull fossil. Aytek, who stated that they think the fossil is one of the best-preserved examples in Anatolia and even in the world, stated that the species will be identified after detailed studies and that this species may be a first in the world.
Aytek emphasized that the region is quite productive in terms of fossils, adding that the fossils found this year date the history of the region back 9 million years.
