It’s typical to encounter weeds around one’s backyard plants. But mastodon teeth? Not so much.
A couple in Scotchtown, New York spotted what turned out to be the tip of a fossil iceberg. After they found two teeth hiding behind some fronds, they dug a bit deeper and detected two more. Then they decided to reach out for help.
“When I found the teeth and examined them in my hands, I knew they were something special and decided to call in the experts,” the resident, who wishes to remain anonymous for the purpose of privacy, said in a press release.
Skepticism, Then Surprise
Cory Harris, a SUNY archeologist was initially dubious when the couple showed up at his office with a cardboard box. He’d been shown countless treasures that turned out to be nothing more than an oddly shaped rock.
This time was different.
Researchers from the New York State Museum and SUNY Orange travelled to the site, and eventually excavated an entire mastodon jawbone. They also dug up a piece of a toe bone and a rib fragment.
“While the jaw is the star of the show, the additional toe and rib fragments offer valuable context and the potential for additional research,” Harris said in a press release. “We are also hoping to further explore the immediate area to see if there are any additional bones that were preserved.”
Read More: Prehistoric Animal Migration: First Evidence Found from Mastodon Tusk
Mastodon Marching Ground
There’s a pretty good chance more will turn up. Although this was the first find of its kind in New York in more than 11 years, finding such fossils in New York is not uncommon. About 150 mastodon fossils have been found across New York. The Ice Age mammals, which should not be confused with the larger woolly mammoths, seemed to have an had an affinity for Orange County, where this one — and about a third of the state’s total — have been found.
One of the (if not the) first was found in 1780, by preacher Robert Annan. He discovered a bunch of enormous bones on his farm in Wallkill, N.Y. Somehow, Gen. George Washington, then the commander of the Continental Army, got word of the find. He left his troops at Newburgh and rode 25 miles in a sleigh to have a look. That site is a few miles from where the most recent mastodon bones were discovered.
Scientists will perform carbon dating on the fossil to determine when it walked through the neighborhood. They will also analyze the bones to learn more about its age, diet and habitat. After these studies have been completed, the fossils will be featured in the museum.
And Orange County gardeners might be especially vigilant while tending to their yards.
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Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
