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Binegadi 4th Period Fauna and Flora Deposit

Binegadi 4th Period Fauna and Flora Deposit is one of the richest and rare finds not only of Azerbaijan but also of the world. The history of the Binegadi 4th Period Fauna and Flora Deposit dates back about 200 thousand years ago.    “Binagadi" 4th Period Fauna and Flora Deposit is located at 40° 15' 50~ northern latitude and 49° 45' 55" eastern longitude, on the territory of Binagadi District of Baku City, the capital of Azerbaijan Republic, Absheron Peninsula. This ancient flora and fauna deposit is protected by the State as a monument of a nature of the special significance pursuant to the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 167 dated March 16, 1982.

Binagadi fauna was discovered in the center of the Absheron peninsula by the Azerbaijani geologist A. Mustafazade in 1938 in the bitumen deposits in 1km to the south-east from Binagadi village.  Binagadi findings also provide a clear idea about the Pleistocene fauna of the Absheron Peninsula, even its flora. Rich vegetation and diversity of insects, related to water are evidence that in ancient bmes here was a source of fresh water. At the bottom an ancient shriveled lake have been discovered a plenty remains of animals covered by thick layer of petroleum. In the result of studies have been discovered about 50 thousand bones of various animals here. So, 40 specimen of mammals, 120 species of birds, 2 species of reptiles and one specimen of amphibians from vertebrates heve been identified, as well as 107 species of insects and 22 species of vegetation relics have been discovered. Binagadi fauna and flora deposit is richer by number of animal relics than the 4th Period fauna deposit discovered in Ranco-Lya-Brea asphalt in California. This ancient fauna and flora deposit determines not only the history of Transcaucasus, but even plays great role in soluton of problems concerning paleofauna of entire Caucasus, Middie Asia, European part of the CIS countries as well.

The book «Karischina primitive nature of Absheron" authored by  V.V.Bogovich,  contains information about the region.

Binegadi 4th Period Fauna and Flora Deposit was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in Need of Urgent Safeguarding on September 30, 1998.