UNIQUE GEOSITES OF THE SOUTHERN CAUCASUS: THE LOCALITIES OF THE UPPER MIOCENE-PLEISTOCENE VERTEBRATE FAUNA IN THE VICINITY OF THE MINGACHEVIR RESERVOIR
Keywords:
Mingachevir reservoir, geosite, Miocene-Pliocene sedimentary complex, vertebrate fauna localities, mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, hipparion faunaAbstract
Territory of Azerbaijan Republic is rich in various species of fossil vertebrates found among Eopleistocene and Pleistocene marine and continental sediments. One of the richest accumulations of the petrified remains of these animals have been detected in the western part of the country, where unique Eldar, Gushgunа and Bozdagh-Garaja localities of vertebrates have been detected in the vicinities of Mingachevir reservoir. The cited deposits represent unique geosites, which together with early man’s stone implements detected in their surrounding areas, indicate that the region was part of the formation area of the most ancient humans and their earliest material culture. As identified by the studies, surroundings of Mingachevir reservoir are the world’s unparalleled and longest (more than 100 km) burial site of the vertebrate fossils.
