3 November 2024 The Future is the Product of the Past

The 20-million-year-old fossil of a sea creature in the ancient city of Tyana may have been used as a means of payment

During the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Tyana in the Kemerhisar district of Niğde, a 20-million-year-old fossil thought to belong to a sea creature was unearthed.

Head of the excavation committee and Aksaray University Archeology Department Lecturer Assoc. Dr. Osman Doğanay told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Tyana is the most important city in the Cappadocia region.

Stating that it is known from written documents that the city has been inhabited continuously for at least 4,000 years, Doğanay said that there are many remains of the Bronze and Iron Age, Hittites, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman civilizations in the city.

Ancient city of Tyana
Photo: Abdullah Özkul / AA

Stating that they started sounding excavations in the south to reach the early period findings of the city, Doğanay said, “We have reached a depth of 4 meters during the excavations that have been going on for 2 months. We have now reached the early phase of the Bronze Age and artifacts from that period. We will reach information and documents. We will prove with archaeological documents the clear information that the settlement in Tyana dates back at least 5-6 thousand years from today,” said.

Nearly 200 museum-worthy artifacts were found in a single sounding
Nearly 200 museum-worthy artifacts were found in a single sounding. Photo: Abdullah Özkul / AA

Used as a means of payment

Emphasizing that they reached nearly 200 museum-worthy artifacts in a single sounding, Doğanay continued his speech as follows:

Tyana find
Photo: Abdullah Özkul / AA

Ceramics and idols are expected finds during the excavations, but we found fossils of sea creatures in the layer belonging to the earliest phase of the Bronze Age. We determined that the fossil was a ‘nummulites’ type sea crustacean from 20 million years ago. We also found small, round discs in the same layer. We speculate that these discs were also used as a means of payment along with the fossil since there are similar examples in Egypt, so apart from ingot (a flat copper plate made of cowhide, used as a means of exchange before the coin was invented) as the earliest means of payment, such discs were also used as a means of payment. “We think that fossils of sea creatures were also used. Of course, we only have one example. We think we will have more of these fossils in the coming season.”

Noting that according to the findings, organized human life in the ancient city of Tyana dates back at least 5,000 years, Doğanay said, “In terms of live life, 20 million years ago, this place was perhaps a seafloor or consisted of a receding sea. “He couldn’t have brought the fossil from far away. He collected it from somewhere around here and maybe he was using it as a means of payment,” he said.

Related Articles

Fossil of a hominid child who died almost 250,000 years ago discovered in South Africa

8 November 2021

8 November 2021

A team of international and South African researchers uncovered the fossil remains of an early hominid kid who died almost...

An opulent 2,000-year-old ‘city hall’ has been discovered near the Western Wall in Israel

8 July 2021

8 July 2021

An important 2,000-year-old public building has been unearthed near the wailing wall in Israel. Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority...

60-million-year-old Snail Fossil Found in southern Turkey

22 May 2021

22 May 2021

A snail fossil dating to the age of 60 million was found in Mersin’s Toroslar district. The snail fossil discovered...

2,000-year-old Roman Military Sandal with Nails Found in Germany

25 June 2024

25 June 2024

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a 2,000-year-old Roman Military Sandal near an auxiliary Roman camp in Germany. Archaeologists from...

A Glorious Temple, inside which Sacrifices Were Performed, was Found in the Sanctuary of Artemis Amarysia on Greek Island of Euboea

13 January 2024

13 January 2024

Archaeologists excavating at the Artemis Amarysia sanctuary in Amarynthos on the Greek island of Euboea have revealed new insight into...

Who Are The Sea Peoples?

13 February 2021

13 February 2021

Who are the Sea Peoples, which are seen as the beginning of the dark age, and where did they come...

Network analysis of prehistoric relationships using raw archaeological finds and AI

24 July 2023

24 July 2023

A project of the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS uses archaeological raw material finds for network analyses from the Middle Stone...

Archaeologists have unearthed a flawless Roman blue glass bowl in the Dutch city of Nijmegen

23 January 2022

23 January 2022

Archaeologists excavating the site of a comprehensive housing and green space development in Nijmegen’s Winkelsteeg, one of the oldest cities...

Khirbet Midras pyramid and  Archaeological Site in Israel

28 November 2022

28 November 2022

Khirbet Midras (Arabic) or Horvat Midras (Hebrew) is one of several antiquities sites located within the Adullam Grove National Park,...

3,000-year-old Treasure on the Iberian Peninsula made with material from a meteorite

7 February 2024

7 February 2024

Scientists have recently discovered that some of the pieces in the amazing Bronze Age collection known as the Villena Treasure,...

Archaeologists made a remarkable discovery in Kosovo: Evidence that the great Byzantine Emperor was of Dardanian origin

19 August 2023

19 August 2023

A mixed team of international and local experts led by Professor Christophe J. Goddard has unearthed a monumental inscription of...

Stone Age Loved to Dance to the Rhythm of the Elk Tooth Rattles

4 June 2021

4 June 2021

Thousands of years ago, people danced frequently and to the rhythm. This is the conclusion of the discovery of elk...

Rare a Serbian Stefan Uros II Milutin Silver Grosso discovered in Bulgaria’s Medieval Rusocastro Fortress

8 September 2023

8 September 2023

Archaeologists have discovered a silver grosso minted by the Serbian king Stefan Uros II Milutin in the medieval Rusocastro fortress,...

Maya city Tikal put today’s urban gardens to shame

26 June 2021

26 June 2021

The Maya civilization was known for its achievements in art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, and calendar systems. Tikal, the ancient Maya...

Irish archaeologists discover a rare 1,600-year-old idol in the Roscommon bog

13 August 2021

13 August 2021

A 1,600-year-old wooden pagan idol has been discovered in a bog in Co Roscommon by Irish archaeologists. This rare artifact...