21.10.2023 Kayseri
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, visited the Kayseri Science Center, examined the pieces found in the salvage excavations on the banks of the Yamula Dam and received a briefing on the subject.
Hisarcıklıoğlu made the
following statement regarding his visit: “Kayseri is counting down the days for
Türkiye's first Paleontology Museum. The museum will be an important reference
point in the world. I visited the Kayseri Science Center, where laboratory
studies of the 7.5 million-year-old fossils found in the Yamula Dam continue.
It is simply magnificent and impressive. Prof. Dr. Okşan Başoğlu and Prof. Dr.
Pınar Gözlük Kırmızıoğlu, the heads of the excavation committee from Ankara
Hacı Bayram Veli University, gave information about the new 7.5 million-year-old
fossils belonging to elephants and hornbills in Kayseri. Prof. Dr. Cesur
Pehlevan, a faculty member at Hacıbektaş Veli University, who worked on the
excavations, explained the excavation process. The fossils of rhinoceros,
elephant, mammoth and giraffe dating back to 7.5 million years ago, found in
the Yamula Dam foothills and Barsama region in Kayseri, are being meticulously
cleaned and prepared for the museum in the laboratory at Kayseri Science
Center. The work is being carried out with the support of Kayseri Metropolitan
Municipality. I congratulate Prof. Dr. Okşan Başoğlu, Prof. Dr. Pınar Gözlük
Kırmızıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Cesur Pehlevan and all their colleagues in the
excavation committee and the Mayor of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, Dr.
Memduh Büyükkılıç, who has given great support to this important project.
Türkiye's only Paleontology Museum, which is under preparation, will hopefully
be opened to visitors as soon as possible.”