Detail View: Snowmass: Snowmastodon Excavation, People & Fossils

File Name: 
SNO20110619-36.jpg
catalog number: 
SNO20110619-36
collection: 
Snowmass
title: 
Snowmastodon Excavation, People & Fossils
creator: 
Richard M. Wicker
creator type: 
photographer
creator: 
Christine Powers
creator type: 
creator of digital collection
description: 
L-R Dr. Kirk Johnson DMNS Chief Curator and Vice President of Research and Collections, Cynthia Fisher wife of Dr. Dan Fisher, Dr. Dan Fisher University of Michigan Mastodon Expert, Dr. Ian Miller DMNS Curator of Paleontology and Chair of Earth Sciences Department, Chris Miller National Geographic Film crew volunteer and Michael Cherney assistant to Dr. Dan Fisher study the Clay Mammoth EPV.60704. Notice the rocks among the bones. 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: 
6/19/2011
date type: 
date of photograph
location: 
USA, Colorado, Pitkin County, Snowmass Village, Ziegler Reservoir
modified: 
no
format: 
image/jpg
file size: 
3.23 MB
source: 
Nikon D300
rights: 
use with permission Denver Museum of Nature & Science