Detail View: Snowmass: Snowmastodon Excavation, Fossils

File Name: 
SNO20110621-1.jpg
catalog number: 
SNO20110621-1
collection: 
Snowmass
title: 
Snowmastodon Excavation, Fossils
creator: 
Richard M. Wicker
creator type: 
photographer
creator: 
Clayton Powers
creator type: 
creator of digital collection
description: 
The "Clay Mammoth" catalog #EPV.60704 is shown "in situ". Note the boulders positioned under the skeleton. Scientists believe this may be 45,000 year old evidence humans cached mastodon meat under the cold water, intentionally weighted down by boulders. Humans, in the presence of dire wolves and short-faced great bears, would not make jerky to carry with them. Cold-water storage was an obvious solution. If the evidence is confirmed, humans were in North America 30,000 years before others crossed the land bridge from Asia, as is the current belief.
date: 
6/21/2011
date type: 
date of photograph
location: 
USA, Colorado, Pitkin County, Snowmass Village, Ziegler Reservoir
modified: 
no
format: 
image/jpg
file size: 
3.30MB
source: 
Nikon D300
rights: 
use with permission Denver Museum of Nature & Science