Enver Yücel, a businessperson from Bitlis, eastern Türkiye, brought the amber stones he obtained while running mining operations in Ukraine back to Türkiye. The fact that these stones are between 30 million and 90 million years old makes them not only ancient and valuable but also important scientific resources, providing insight into natural processes throughout history.
After bringing the examples, which contain insect and plant fossils, to Bitlis, Yücel learned that Dr. Cihan Önen had a keen interest in the stones.
Yücel contacted Önen and gifted him the stones. Önen examined them using ultraviolet light and a digital microscope, noting that the animal fossils within the stones were clearly visible.
Grateful for receiving such ancient and valuable specimens, Önen stated: "I have been observing nature and space for many years and recording my observations to create documentaries. In addition to that, I have a significant interest in stones. I have collected stones from all over the world. We pursue this with a purpose – to introduce these stones to young people and instill in students an awareness of nature."
"In our future projects, we plan to engage more young people through exhibitions and other events. Enver Bey's contribution to youth and us in this regard is invaluable. He gifted us the most valuable stones in his collection," he added.
Yücel shared more details about the stones with journalists, mentioning that during examinations of similar stones in China, a fossil was found to be 99 million years old. Yücel said: "I had a 17-year career in boxing, which allowed me to travel to various countries. Later, I came across amber in Ukraine. When friends in Türkiye expressed interest in it, we decided to engage in its trade."
He continued: "After four or five years of effort, we leased and operated a mining site. When the war began, we returned to Türkiye, bringing these valuable pieces with us. The stones contain fossilized animals and plants. We decided to gift these stones to Dr. Cihan, as he has a strong interest in them and is passionate about sharing this interest with young people."
"These stones have a historical significance. However, during recent examinations of similar stones in China, a fossil was found to be 99 million years old. The most significant aspect of this stone is that it is not just ordinary resin, the type of tree that produced this resin has gone extinct," he said.
