Paleoecological features of Sivas Hayranlı- Haliminhanı location

The macro and micro fossils recovered from the excavation sites are of primary importance in understanding the paleoecological environment. Our country is an important fossil deposit due to its location. Every living creature has been exposed to different changes from time to time and adapted to the conditions of the period in which it lived, and those that could not adapt became extinct. Although excavations were carried out in the Haliminhanı-Hayranlı locality between 2002-2009, scientific studies are still continuing. Since 2002 until today, fossil fragments belonging to many families such as Equidae, Rhioncerotidae, Bovidae, Carnivora, Suidae, Proboscidea, Giriffidae and small mammals have been found. Based on the fossils obtained, the age of the locality was determined as MN11-MN12. The obtained result points to the Miocene period among the geologic periods. The Miocene period is very important not only for this locality but also for the whole Anatolia. The fact that the animal migrations that occurred due to the climate change and natural disasters took place along the Anatolian line has increased this importance. With the determination of the fossil ages obtained, paleoenvironmental and paleoecological conditions can be understood more clearly.