In The Middle Of The Rice Fields On The Slopes Of The Patiayam Mountains, 1.5 Meters Of Elephant Ivory Fossils Are Stored

The evacuation process of elephant tusk fossils (ANTARA/Akhmad Nazaruddin Lathif)

JAKARTA - A 1.5 meter long elephant tusk fossil was found in the Patiayam Site area in Gondoriyo, Ngrangit Lama Hamlet, Terban Village, Kudus Regency, Central Java.

The Sangiran Early Human Site Preservation Center (BPSMP) team together with the Patiayam Kudus Museum evacuated the ancient fossil from the location of the discovery in a resident's rice field on the slopes of the Patiayam Mountains, Jekulo District, as the Patiayam Site area, Friday 17 December.

"Alhamdulillah, the elephant tusk fossil was successfully evacuated so that it is still in quite good condition because it involved a team of experts from BPSMP Sangiran and a joint team," said Patiayam Museum Coordinator Kudus Jamin in a statement quoted from Antara.

The excavation of this ancient elephant tusk fossil was previously estimated to take two days. But within a day, they could be evacuated to the Patiayam Kudus Museum.

Based on the experience of previous years, entering the rainy season, many ancient fossils are often found in the Patiayam Mountains area. Moreover, the farmers also started farming.

In addition to the location where the elephant tusk fossil was found, the Sangiran BPSMP team will also check the fossil findings at two locations, including an ancient bull fossil because its head had been removed previously so that there were still rib fragments and others.

Jamin said that until December 2021, the fossil findings had reached 1,600 and the number could increase because there is still information that has not been excavated.

The Cultural Pamong at the Sangiran Ancient Human Site Preservation Center (BPSMP) Iwan Setiawan added that the excavation of fossils and their removal to the museum went smoothly, although access to the location was quite difficult because they had to cross a river.

To find out the age of the ancient elephant tusk, his party will identify the soil where the fossil was found, whether it is in the strumpet layer or in another layer.