Azykhantrop
Azykhantrop[1] is a name given to a fossil representative of Hominidae, a lower jaw of which was found out in Azykh Cave, in the territory of Hadrut Rayon of the Azerbaijan SSR, in 1968, by Azerbaijani scientists led by Mammadali Huseynov. It belongs to so called pre-Neanderthal man (precisely to pre-Neanderthal man of Heidelberg type). But it should be known that these excavations don’t belong to ancestor of modern human,[2] because, at present, scientists don’t consider Neanderthal men as ancestors of modern people.
Dating of fossils
There exists dispersion from 450 to 50 thousand years in dating because of inaccuracy of Azerbaijani archeologists concerning archeological layer in which the lower jaw was found out. Results of radiocarbon dating aren’t known until know, because such kind of method of dating determines age of carbonaceous material older than 40-50 thousand years. It is also considered that this lower jaw belonged to woman. At present this fragment of a bone is kept in Azerbaijan State Museum of History.[3]
Implements and other tools
Paleolithic implements which belonged to Acheulean culture, remains of fire and primitive houses were also found out in the cave. Exhibits from Azykh Cave were exhibited in France (Nice University), in 1981-1982, where they were in focus of attention of the academic community of the world.
At present, excavations are carried out by scientists from Armenia, England, Ireland and Spain.[4]
References
- ↑ АЗЫХСКАЯ ПЕЩЕРА — Большой Энциклопедический словарь (БЭС) / Словари 299 ру
- ↑ Ovchinnikov IV, Götherström A, Romanova GP, Kharitonov VM, Lidén K, Goodwin W., Molecular analysis of Neanderthal DNA from the northern Caucasus
- ↑ AZERBAIJAN FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF ISLAM
- ↑ Зарубежные палеонтологи ведут раскопки в Азох-Ворванской пещере Нагорного Карабаха