Dentist Discovers Human-Like Jawbone and Teeth in a Floor Tile

June 16, 2024 5:18 AM

Dentist Discovers Human-Like Jawbone and Teeth in a Floor Tile at His Parents' Home. Scientists are planning to study the specimen, embedded in travertine from western Turkey, in hopes of dating and identifying it. He found the jawbone in a tile made of travertine, a type of limestone that typically forms near hot springs. This specific tile came from a quarry in the Denizli Basin of western Turkey. The travertine excavated there formed between 0.7 million and 1.8 million years ago, which suggests the mandible did not come from a person who died recently.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (15 comments total)

did not come from a person who died recently

It’s all relative.
posted by saturday_morning at 5:37 AM on June 16 [3 favorites]

We have no idea how this person got their jaw embedded in travertine, or why
posted by JoeXIII007 at 5:48 AM on June 16 [25 favorites]

“How many bathrooms have Neanderthals in the tile?”

Hey, I just drove through Denizli!

And here in Datça, there's a quarry so big it's like most of a mountain is disappearing, all going to build holiday homes.

I don't know if it's travertine that's being mined though.
posted by Zumbador at 6:09 AM on June 16 [1 favorite]

Loving the banana for scale
posted by phooky at 6:11 AM on June 16

Hierapolis-Pamukkale hot springs were in use for millennia [unesco]. both human remains mentioned in OP relate to people with health concerns: tuberculosis and bad teeth. would more careful excavation show more people seeking restorative relaxation?
posted by HearHere at 6:12 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]

Is that where I left that? My bad.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:13 AM on June 16 [3 favorites]

Previously.
posted by brachiopod at 6:15 AM on June 16 [3 favorites]

which suggests the mandible did not come from a person who died recently.

The phrasing garners appreciation for you, from chrono-cachers.
posted by otherchaz at 6:53 AM on June 16

Jimmy Hoffa's jawbone says hi from 2 million years in the future.
posted by clawsoon at 7:08 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]

::immediately goes to check the tiles in his bathroom::
posted by johnxlibris at 8:02 AM on June 16 [1 favorite]

The story of travertine (photos and text only).
posted by Brian B. at 8:31 AM on June 16

Dentist Discovers Human-Like Jawbone and Teeth in a Floor Tile

This is an interesting story but this sentence by itself is a hell of a premise for a horror movie. Particularly the "human-like."
posted by praemunire at 10:07 AM on June 16 [2 favorites]

Since even macaques know enough to enjoy a hot spring, I wouldn't be surprised at all if hominids of any kind spent time there.

What I want to know is how many other creatures are preserved in tiles. I grew up using a bathroom that had some kind of stone installed by the previous owner, and I spent a lot of time looking at creature-like and jewel-like shapes in it -- probably just quartz inclusions, but maybe some part of an ancient shelled thing.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:42 AM on June 16

I want to know is how many other creatures are preserved in tiles
some fossils are described by Fernbank
posted by HearHere at 11:28 AM on June 16 [1 favorite]

Anywhere you find travertine tile, you might also find fossils.

And I do mean anywhere!
posted by AlSweigart at 11:57 AM on June 16