Ancient Mammoth Carcass Indicates Early Human Presence In Arctic

First Posted: Jan 15, 2016 01:34 PM EST

The fossilized remains of a mammoth that was hunted down 45,000 years ago are shedding light on the earliest presence of humans in the Arctic, according to a study at the Russian Academy of Science. The mammoth carcass was found in northern Russia and showed signs of being stabbed and butchered. There were marks on the bones and the tusks showed signs of human activity.

The new finding now extends the history record of human presence in the Arctic an additional 5,000 years. The findings from the site in Serbia indicate the earliest evidence of human presence in Eurasia before 40,000 years ago. Many studies have indicated human presence in the Arctic during the time of the mammoths. However, if that were the case, then the human population may have been quite sparse, according to the researchers.

The frozen mammoth carcass showed a number of signs that indicates that the animal sustained weapon-inflicted injuries before and after its death. The mammoth's injuries suggest human hunting who most likely belonged to our own species. Mammoth hunts were probably one of the most common methods used by these early humans to obtain food.

The findings of this study were published in the journal Science.

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Tagsmammoth, Woolly Mammoth, Woolly Siberian Mammoths, Mammoths, Baby Mammoths, mammoth fossil, fossils, Bones, fossilized bones, Carcass, arctic, serbia, Hunting, Extinction, Extinct, Mass Extinction, human activities, early humans