August
20
/ 2024
Archaeologists from the University of Iowa have uncovered the first-ever well-preserved mastodon skull scientifically excavated in the state. This remarkable find, dating back approximately 13,600 years, offers a rare glimpse into a time when humans and mastodons coexisted in what is now Iowa. A Significant Discovery in Wayne County The discovery began in the fall of 2022, when a local resident of Wayne County stumbled upon an unusually large bone embedded in a creek bed on private property in the southwestern part of the county, reports Iowa University News. This bone turned out to be a mastodon femur, catching the attention of John Doershuk, the director and state archaeologist at the University of Iowa's Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA)
