Woolly Mammoth Identified, Tusk

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Dave returned to the site with two MNH student-employees Kelsy Westman and Andrew Blodgett, both veterans from previous digs. They met Jim Roberson and Lee Wymore at 9 AM with the goal of further excavating and extracting the tree stump and maxillary/tooth which Dr. Chris Widga, Illinois State Museum, had confirmed via emailed photos was an elderly Woolly Mammoth.

The team had speculated on Monday that perhaps the large block of blue clay represented the edge of the intact fossil deposit but this hope was dashed as diggers widened and deepened the hole and discovered gray clay flecked with specks of blue and sand stringers intermingled.  Clearly the maxillary is simply resting in a large block of slump.  The other half of the upper jaw and tooth (#2) was uncovered almost directly under the first.  As diggers worked around the jaw they uncovered the tip of a well-preserved tusk--approximately 5-6 inches in diameter.  The tusk appears broken off at one time but re-sharpened and polished by the animal through use.  Approximately 24 in. of the tusk was exposed by the end of the day.  Diggers also encountered islands of other large bones, assumed to be other portions of the skull.  The team departed about 5 PM leaving tree and all bones in-place and made hasty plans to renew their attempts to extract the jaw the next day.