Ancient Elephant Spine And Ribs Fossil Found At Patiayam Kudus Site

The latest findings of fossils of the spine and ribs of ancient elephants are currently stored in the Patiayam Kudus Museum, Central Java. ANTARA/Akhmad Nazaruddin

KUDUS - The discovery of fossils in the Patiayam Site area of Terban Village, Kudus Regency, Central Java occurred again with the discovery of fossils of the spine and rib of ancient elephants.

"The location of the discovery is still in the same area where 2.5-meter-long elephant tusk was found six months ago," said the Coordinator of the Patiayam Purabala Museum Kudus Jamin in Kudus, Antara, Thursday, September 29.

Fossil finders are land cultivators who also found fossils of elephant tusk before when they were carrying out activities suitable for planting around the Patiayam hills.

He estimates that there is one individual ancient elephant, because the previous findings are still in one coordinate.

The fossil findings of the spine and ribs, he said, had been followed up with the rescue of the discovery of ancient elephant tusk fossils with the Sangiran Ancient Human Site Preservation Center (BPSMP) team, and the appointment of findings were carried out on Wednesday (28/9) to be taken to the Patiayam Ancient Site Museum.

Meanwhile, the 2.5-meter-long lifting of ancient elephant tusk began in early August 2022. Then, on August 8, 2022, they were evacuated to the Patiayam Kudus Museum. He revealed that the condition of the elephant's tusk was still good, because it still looks intact. Other findings have also been evacuated to the museum.

Based on the expert team's information, the fossil age is from a geological point of age between 750,000 and 1.5 million years ago.

With the discovery of the elephant tusk fossil, so far there have been 40 ancient elephant tusk, while the condition is still intact about 25 tusk and the longest is about 4 meters.

Meanwhile, the number of ancient fossil findings from the Patiayam Site until July 2022 reached 9,346 fossils.

Fossil found at the Patiayam Site includes, Stegodon Trigonochepalus (ordinary elephant), Elephas Sp (also a type of ancient elephant), Ceruss Zwaani and Cervus Lydekkeri Martin (gross deer), and Rhinoceros Sondaicus (rhinoceros).

In addition, there are Brachygnisatus Dubois (pig), Felis Sp (tiger), Bos Bubulus Palaeokarabau (catlet), Bos Banteng alayosondaicus, Crocodilus sp (crocodilus), and hand axes or chopper.