The paleontology and archaeological excavations show that
Apsheron peninsula was
populated with various fossil animals in Quaternary (about 100 000 years ago).
Numerous fossil vertebrates were found in the vicinity of Baku, i.e. in Keshla,
Binagadi, Digakh, Khurdalan and other settlements. In a quarry
near Keshla bones of fossil horses, hyena and rhinoceros were discovered. The skull of
a primitive ox was found near
Digakh settlement. During the construction of
Baku metro, the fossil antler of a gigantic deer was found in a clay layer 33 m beneath the surface.
Binagadi kir
lake, which contains unique
samples of the Quaternary fauna and flora, has become the most important and
valuable source in the ancient
history of the Apsheron peninsula and
the whole Caucasus.
Tens thousands years ago the area was rich in fauna and flora, characteristic of
the savanna. The climate of Apsheron was damper
and colder than at present. In that epoch a freshwater lake was
formed not far from Binagadi. The edge of the lake was covered by thick oil. Wild animals and birds
came to the lake for water but viscous oil sucked them in. With time the lake
has evaporated and all remains of the animals were buried in a kir layer for years.
In the first half of XX century a countryman
extracted kir for his house roof's repair. By chance he found the gigantic
bones of an unknown animal and informed the municipal administration. The
remains of some prehistoric animals were discovered as a result of
undertaken excavations. Unfortunately, that history was forgotten very soon.
A detailed study of Binagadi kir lake with a large burial place of samples of ancient fauna
was resumed in year
1938 when A.S. Mastanzadeh discovered a skeleton of a rhinoceros.
As a result of an investigation, more than 50 000 bones were found and classified
including 41 species of mammals, 110 species of birds, 2 reptiles,
1 amphibian, 107 insects, 22 vegetative remains, etc. Among them the
nearly intact skeletons of fossil horses, red deer (binagadinian
subspecies), jeiran and saiga (not found on Azerbaijan territory at
present) are of scientific interest. The remains of predatory mammals
such as Pleistocene wolf (Canis lupus apscheronicus R. Ver), cave
hyena (Crosuta-crocuta spelaea Colaf), binagadinian primitive ox
(Bos Mastanzadei Bur), bear (Ursus arctos binagadensis R. Ver),
etc., skeletons of eagle owl (Bubo-bubo L.), pelican (Pelikanus
crispus paleo-crispus Serebr), raven (Corvus corax L.), swans
(Cygnus olor Bergmanni Srebr), etc. can be marked out. The material collected in
Binagadi created
the necessary prerequisites for scientifically reconstructed pictures of
animal and vegetable kingdoms of Apsheron peninsula of the Post-Pliocene
period.
While comparing the Quaternary fauna
and flora of Binagadi deposit and the similar natural phenomena in North America ("Racho la Brea", California) some researchers
came to the conclusion that the first one (75 thousand years) is older than 40 thousand years. Collection of samples of Binagadi
Quaternary fauna are widely presented in Natural-Historical Museum after G.
Zardabi.
Did people inhabit the area in that epoch? Rich fauna including horses, ox, deer
and others was indispensable for survival of human beings. Discovered fossil
vertebrates show that primitive people could have live on Apsheron peninsula in
Paleolithic Age.
The paleontology and archaeological excavations show that
Apsheron peninsula was
populated with various fossil animals in Quaternary (about 100 000 years ago).
Numerous fossil vertebrates were found in the vicinity of Baku, i.e. in Keshla,
Binagadi, Digakh, Khurdalan and other settlements. In a quarry
near Keshla bones of fossil horses, hyena and rhinoceros were discovered. The skull of
a primitive ox was found near
Digakh settlement. During the construction of
Baku metro, the fossil antler of a gigantic deer was found in a clay layer 33 m beneath the surface.
Binagadi kir
lake, which contains unique
samples of the Quaternary fauna and flora, has become the most important and
valuable source in the ancient
history of the Apsheron peninsula and
the whole Caucasus.
Tens thousands years ago the area was rich in fauna and flora, characteristic of
the savanna. The climate of Apsheron was damper
and colder than at present. In that epoch a freshwater lake was
formed not far from Binagadi. The edge of the lake was covered by thick oil. Wild animals and birds
came to the lake for water but viscous oil sucked them in. With time the lake
has evaporated and all remains of the animals were buried in a kir layer for years.
As a result of an investigation, more than 50 000 bones were found and classified
including 41 species of mammals, 110 species of birds, 2 reptiles,
1 amphibian, 107 insects, 22 vegetative remains, etc. Among them the
nearly intact skeletons of fossil horses, red deer (binagadinian
subspecies), jeiran and saiga (not found on Azerbaijan territory at
present) are of scientific interest. The remains of predatory mammals
such as Pleistocene wolf (Canis lupus apscheronicus R. Ver), cave
hyena (Crosuta-crocuta spelaea Colaf), binagadinian primitive ox
(Bos Mastanzadei Bur), bear (Ursus arctos binagadensis R. Ver),
etc., skeletons of eagle owl (Bubo-bubo L.), pelican (Pelikanus
crispus paleo-crispus Serebr), raven (Corvus corax L.), swans
(Cygnus olor Bergmanni Srebr), etc. can be marked out. The material collected in
Binagadi created
the necessary prerequisites for scientifically reconstructed pictures of
animal and vegetable kingdoms of Apsheron peninsula of the Post-Pliocene
period.