Date:

Mammoth Bones Unearthed on Oregon State Football Field

Evidence dug up during an expansion of the Valley Football Center has revealed that much larger creatures once roamed this location more than 10,000 years ago.

Construction crews digging in the north end zone in Reser Stadium on Monday uncovered a large femur bone, likely from a mammoth. Further discovery revealed more bones from several extinct mammals.

- Advertisement -

“There are quite a few bones, and dozens of pieces,” said Loren Davis, an associate professor of anthropology at OSU who was called to the site after the initial discovery was made. “Some of the bones are not in very good shape, but some are actually quite well preserved.”

There don’t appear to be any signs of human bones or artifacts at the site, Davis said. Further testing will be needed to determine the bones’ exact age.

The discovery of the ancient mammal bones is not unusual in the Willamette Valley, Davis said. The bones, including mammoth, bison and some kind of camel or horse, were discovered in a 10-foot deep plot in an area that could once have been a bog or marsh, Davis said.

 “Animals who were sick would often go to a body of water and die there, so it’s not unusual to find a group of bones like this,” Davis said. “We had all of these types of animals in the Willamette Valley back then.”

- Advertisement -

Crews are digging up a portion of the north end zone as part of the Valley Football Center expansion and renovation project. Work began after the fall football season ended and is slated for completion by the start of the 2016 home season.

A worker digging in the area made the initial discovery of the large femur bone and immediately stopped work in the area, said Tim Sissel, senior project manager for Hunt/Fortis, a joint venture, the general contractor on the project.

Company officials notified OSU officials, who brought in Davis and other experts to examine the bones and the site. Crews have moved to other areas of the construction project while Davis and others take a closer look at the find. The delay has been minimal so far, Sissel said.

The animals do not appear to have been killed, Davis said, and there is no other evidence of humans at the site. Since the find does not appear to involve humans or human artifacts, the bones are not considered part of an archaeological site, Davis said. Nonetheless, we can learn a great deal about what the ancient environment of the Willamette Valley was like from this discovery, he said.

The find does not appear to involve humans or human artifacts and there are no special rules or regulations in Oregon governing the preservation or protection of paleontology finds, Davis said.

In the short term, Davis plans to soak the discovered bones in water to prevent further deterioration, and hopes to send some out for carbon dating to determine more about their age. He and his students will also continue excavating a large pile of dirt pulled from the site, where more bones are believed to be buried.

“It’ll be a great learning experience for them, to learn how to identify extinct animal bones,” Davis said. “It’s really an amazing find.”

Oregon State University

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Exquisite marble sarcophagus unearthed near Caesarea

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), working on behalf of the Caesarea Development Corporation, have unearthed an exquisitely sculptured marble sarcophagus near the coastal city of Caesarea, Israel.

Viking-Era boat burial uncovered on Senja

Archaeologists have uncovered a Viking-Era boat burial on the island of Senja in northern Norway.

Mystery of the Maka Lahi Rock finally solved

In 2024, researchers from Australia's University of Queensland discovered a giant 1,200-tonne rock more than 200 metres inland on the island of Tongatapu.

Secrets to crafting the Nebra Sky Disc revealed

Using a blend of forensic material analysis with experimental archaeology, researchers have successfully reconstructed the techniques and processes behind crafting the Nebra Sky Disc.

Royal tomb unearthed in Gordion could belong to King Midas’ family

Archaeologists from the Gordion Project have uncovered a Phrygian royal tomb, potentially belonging to a member of King Midas' Family from the 8th century BC.

Bronze Age tombs reveal wealth from ancient trade

The discovery of three Bronze Age tombs at Dromolaxia-Vyzakia has shed light on ancient trade routes connecting Cyprus with the Aegean, Anatolia, Egypt, and the Near East.

Dolphin mosaic discovery is part of an expansive Roman villa complex

Archaeologists from OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH and the University of Salzburg have uncovered an expansive Roman villa complex on Reinberg hill in Thalheim bei Wels, Austria.

Over 100 prehistoric structures found in Spanish cave

Archaeologists from the University of Alicante and the University of Zaragoza have discovered over 100 prehistoric structures within the Cova Dones cave system in Valencia, Span.