The unearthing of an ancient mastodon skull in an Iowa creek has archeologists buzzing, as it marks the first ever discovered in the state. Excavators spent a painstaking 12 days recovering the massive fossil, which was so well-preserved that it still contained a significant portion of its once-curved tusk.
According to the state Office of the State Archaeologist, this is the first well-preserved mastodon (primarily the skull) ever excavated in Iowa. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the mastodon died during the Paleoindian period and had been buried for 13,600 years before its discovery.
Mastodons, a 6-ton distant cousin of modern-day elephants, went extinct in North America around 10,500 years ago, most likely due to climate change and human hunting. Despite the discovery of other mastodon remains, this skull is by far the best preserved piece of the skeleton, with archeologists calling the two-foot section of tusk a “goldmine.
State Archeologist John Doershuk explained that modern techniques can determine how many calves a female mastodon had by analyzing changes in body chemistry during pregnancy and birth. These chemical signatures are recorded in the tusks, providing valuable information about the mastodon’s life.
The fossil’s age aligns with the time when Native Americans would have migrated into south-central Iowa. The southern part of the state was ice-free at the time and began to vegetate, attracting animals like mastodons as well as human hunters. Although no stone tools were found near the bones, scientists are still analyzing whether any human-made cut marks were left on the skeleton.
The site where the mastodon bones were discovered was first brought to the Office of the State Archaeologist’s attention in 2022 due to erosion. Once the fossils have been thoroughly studied and analyzed, they will be showcased at a new exhibit at the nearby Prairie Trails Museum in Wayne County, Iowa.
