A Gastropoda fossil belonging to a marine creature that lived 66 million years ago was found during excavations at Külhöyük, within the boundaries of Oyaca in Ankara’s Gölbaşı district. The fossil was stated to date to the final periods of the Tethys Sea, which began forming approximately 250 million years ago.
The fossil at Külhöyük, a 5 thousand-year-old Hatti and Hittite city, is considered to have possibly been brought to the settlement by its ancient inhabitants. The excavations are being conducted under the direction of Associate Professor Derya Yılmaz Tekin.
Why it matters
The discovery shows that Külhöyük should be evaluated not only through its 5 thousand-year-old Hatti and Hittite history but also in relation to the region’s much older geological past. The fossil’s dating to the final periods of the Tethys Sea broadens the archaeological context concerning the area’s natural conditions in the past, even though its surroundings are a terrestrial settlement today. However, how the fossil came to be at the settlement has not yet been clarified; whether the ancient inhabitants transported it from elsewhere could directly affect the significance of the find. For this reason, the excavation raises not only the question of determining the fossil’s age but also of distinguishing the position of a geological remnant within the 5 thousand-year-old settlement and any possible human intervention.
Background
Ankara is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 3 articles mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the most recent one is dated September 14, 2026.