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Mastodons: Some People Really Dig Them

It's not all that unusual for a construction crew to dig up a bone or two--usually the forgotten cache of some stray dog, or perhaps the moldering skeleton of a winter-killed deer. But when an entire mastodon's remains came to light during the excavation for a new church, the geology department of Michigan's Calvin College got involved. The web page they have devoted to this particular dig gives a complete inventory of every bone so far unearthed (complete with photos), as well as a general history of the project to date. There is also a selection of excellent mastodon artwork, and--my personal favorite feature--a comparison chart describing the differences between mastodons, mammoths, and elephants (it's not always easy to tell which is which without some such guidance). There is also a good listing of links to other sites about prehistoric pachyderms. Highly recommended for mastodon lovers everywhere!

Sat, 25 Dec 1999 19:26:41 -0800