A teenager walking through a friend’s farm in Iowa made an extraordinary discovery: a 34,000-year-old mastodon jaw. This find, uncovered near a creek, sheds light on the once rich prehistoric life of the region, where giant mammals like mastodons, woolly mammoths, and giant sloths roamed tens of thousands of years ago. As previously reported by the Iowa City Press-Citizen, the jawbone, measuring about 30 inches long, likely belonged to a juvenile mastodon that would have been around 7 feet tall in life. Now safely housed at the University of Iowa’s Paleontology Repository, the jaw has opened up new opportunities to study this ancient species that once roamed North America.
Discovery of the Mastodon Jaw: A Rare Find
The story behind the jaw’s discovery is as remarkable as the fossil itself. A young teenager, who was out looking for arrowheads along the creek on a friend’s farm, stumbled upon the ancient remains. Initially hoping to find relics from past civilizations, he instead unearthed a piece of prehistoric history. The jaw, weighing heavily in his arms, was carefully carried back to the farmhouse, where the owners, familiar with the importance of such findings, quickly wrapped it in plastic to preserve its moisture and prevent it from deteriorating. They promptly contacted the University of Iowa to report the discovery.
The fossil’s timely recovery was crucial. Had it been exposed to sunlight for too long, the organic material could have dried out and crumbled, losing invaluable scientific data. Tiffany Adrain, the special collections manager at the UI’s Paleontology Repository, explained to VICE that the fossil was remarkably well-preserved because it hadn’t been left out in the sun. “We were incredibly lucky that the student had been walking up and down the creek because the jaw bone can’t have been there for very long,” she said.
The Importance of Preserving Prehistoric Finds
The mastodon jaw now held at the University of Iowa is a significant addition to the Paleontology Repository, an institute known for preserving fossils from Iowa’s prehistoric past. With a collection that includes numerous prehistoric mammal remains, this new find provides important context about the species that once lived in the region. Mastodons, which are distant relatives of modern elephants, roamed North America during the Pleistocene epoch. The juvenile jawbone that was discovered is consistent with the size of a young mastodon, which likely stood at 7 feet tall during its life. Unlike their woolly mammoth cousins, mastodons were slightly smaller, and while their tusks could grow over 16 feet long, they were generally shorter than those of mammoths.
Iowa’s landscape was once home to many of these giants, and the discovery of this jawbone is just one of many findings from the state that contribute to the ongoing study of prehistoric ecosystems. Fossils of giant ground sloths, saber-toothed cats, and other megafauna have been found in the area, revealing the rich biodiversity that existed in North America before the end of the Ice Age. According to Adrain, people regularly stumble upon these remains while walking through the countryside. “I think people are finding stuff all the time,” she says. “Maybe they are out canoeing or fishing on a bank. Farmers, in particular, on the land can spot things pretty easily.”
The Role of the Community in Preserving Fossils
The Iowa Paleontology Repository plays a key role in preserving these vital fossils, many of which are discovered by local farmers, fishermen, and even students. In fact, this latest find is not an isolated incident. Over the years, the museum has received numerous donations from the public, including high school students and other members of the Iowa community who happen upon ancient remains while out in the field
The discovery of the mastodon jaw also raises hopes for future finds. The Iowa Paleontology Repository houses an impressive collection, and Adrain is hopeful that one day, someone will find even rarer remains, like those of the saber-tooth cat. As of now, the repository contains more than a million specimens, many of which were donated by local residents, and 148,000 of those have already been cataloged. The local community’s contributions are vital in expanding our understanding of the region’s ancient past.
How can something be 34,000 years old when all life began 6,000 – 7,000 years ago ?
Unfortunately, scientists idea of carbon dating is way off. Some scientists have proven that carbon dating could be off by several factors.
No it didn’t