Ancient Mammoth Bones Unearthed at Michigan Farm

Posted on October 3, 2015

Ancient mammoth bones have been unearthed at a farm located about 10 miles southwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Paleontologists were called to the site after farmer James Bristle found a 3-foot-long bone when he was using a backhoe to dig a trench for a drainage pipe. The bone was later identified as part of a mammoth pelvis.

The bones recovered at the site are belonged to a mammoth estimated to have lived 11,700 to 15,000 years ago. The bones include the skull, two tusks, vertebrae, ribs, pelvis and shoulder blades. The skull and tusks can seen being hoisted from the excavation pit in the photograph above.

The researchers also found evidence that human stored and butchered the mammoth at the site, which was once a lake or pond. The evidence includes large boulders likely used to anchor the mammoth carcass in the pond as well as a small stone flake. The arrangement of the bones also points to butchering.

University of Michigan paleontologist Daniel Fisher says in a statement, "We think that humans were here and may have butchered and stashed the meat so that they could come back later for it."

Farmer James Bristle is confident he made the right decision to contact researchers (despite the disruption) after seeing the amazement on his grandson's face. Bristle says, "When my 5-year-old grandson came over and saw the pelvis, he just stood there with his jaw wide open and stared. He was in awe. So I think this was the right thing to do."

Here is a video of the excavation at the site from the University of Michigan.

ANIMALS