Fossil findings from the Sıcak Çermik fissure ridge-type travertines and possible hominid tracks, Sivas, Central Turkey

Abstract

Sıcak Çermik (Sivas) is an important geothermal and recent travertine formation area in Central Anatolia. The majority of travertines found in the region comprise fissure-ridge type travertines according to morphological classification. At the location called Tepe Çermik within the travertine area, fill containing fossil bone fragments of Equus sp., Bovidae and other abundant animals formed within the fracture axis of a N-S striking fissure-ridge travertine developed under control of tectonic forces. The finds of these fossils in fissure-ridge travertines linked to tectonic forces indicates formation of a unique fossil environment created under the control of these forces. The Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Radiocarbon Dating analyses of fossils from the study area determined the fills were older than 43,000 years. The U/Th age of a sample from the most recently-formed banded travertine in the axis of the fracture was identified as 278,540 ± 18,436 years. As a result, the ages of fossils found within this fill are thought to be between 43,000 and 278,540 ± 18,436 years old. The high amount of perissodactyla and artiodactyla fossils found within fill in the axis of the fissure-ridge travertine probably indicates the presence of hominids who chose the region for hunting or settlement. The Equus sp. and Bovidae fossil samples found in the axis of the fracture indicate that in the dry and cold glacial period the paleogeography in a large portion of Anatolia comprised desert-like steppe.

Kuzey Anadolu Fay Zonu’nda Traverten Çökeliminde Sıcak Su Kaynağı Olarak Görev Yapan Bir Açılma çatlağı: Reşadiye Çatlak Sırtı

“…The majority of studies carried out on travertines have used the U/Th method for dating the deposition (Sturchio, 1994;Eikenberg et al, 2001;Semghouli et al, 2001;Mallick and Frank, 2002;Soligo et al, 2002;Altunel, 1994;Çakır, 1998, Altunel and Hancock 1993a, b, 1996Altunel, 1996;Hancock et al, 1999;Mesci et al, 2008;Brogi et al, 2009;Temiz et al, 2011;Mesci, 2012;Çolak et al, 2015;Brogi et al, 2014;Brogi et al, 2016;Mesci et al, 2018). However, the electron spin resonance (ESR) method has also been applied (Grün, 1989;Rink et al, 1997;Engin et al, 1999a), and a few studies have used the thermoluminescence (TL) method for dating (Engin et al, 1999b).…”

“…Within the classification scheme of Altunel (1996), the travertines developed as fissure-ridge types comprising fault front, channel and cone shapes reflecting a tectonic signature. Where they continue to grow in the present, they can be used to determine the contemporary regional stress field and thus are related to active regional tectonics (Altunel, 1996;Mesci et al, 2008;De Filippis et al, 2012;Brogi et al, 2009;Mesci, 2012;Brogi et al, 2016;Mesci et al, 2018).…”

Fissure Ridges: A Reappraisal of Faulting and Travertine Deposition (Travitonics)

“…The central fissure corresponds in depth to a bundle of veins ranging from some millimeters to a few meters in width (Figure 2c), filled by vertical laminated palisade or fibrous calcite and/or aragonite (named "banded travertine" in [9,10]). In some cases, the apical fissure is open (Figure 2d), becoming subject to receiving detrital components deriving from the travertine walls (i.e., pieces of travertine with dimensions from cm to dm) along with remains of animal bones [42]. At the Mammoth Hot Spring area (United States), one fissure is even accessible, representing a constructional type of a cave ('Devil's Kitchen'; [43]).…”

“…Finally, systems of fissure ridges can be distributed in an echelon formation, such as those from Gölemezli [20], Cambazlı [27], and Sıcakçermik [25,42], Turkey, suggesting fault arrays related to first-order fault zones, or in irregular shapes, therefore meaning that they contain few well-ordered tectonic structures.…”

Sarıhıdır manganese mineralization related to travertine, Central Anatolian Volcanic Province, Turkey

“…Travertines are observed on the earth's surface with a variety of shapes and sizes and are carbonate accumulations related to hot geothermal springs rich in calcium and bicarbonate in active or recently active tectonic, volcanic and geothermal areas (De Filippis et al, 2013;Temiz et al, 2018). There are many tectonic, mineralogical and geochemical studies about travertines (Brogi & Capezzuoli, 2009;D'Alessandro et al, 2007;Fouke et al, 2000;Garnett et al, 2004;Ihlenfeld et al, 2003;Karabacak et al, 2017;Kele et al, 2011;Mesci et al, 2018;Özkul et al, 2013;Ritter et al, 2018;Selim et al, 2016;Teboul et al, 2016;Temiz & Eikenberg, 2011;Temiz et al, 2009;Temiz & Savas, 2015;Uysal et al, 2007).…”