North America, Pliocene to Pleistocene, Ice Age, ca. 100,000 to 20,000 years old. A partial jawbone and molars from an adult mastodon (Mammut americanum) in fine condition! A substantial piece of jaw bone with a grey hue; the interior porous bone structure is exposed at the edges, with two molars that jut up from the top. The crown molars are a dark umber color from the fossilization process with white-grey areas near the root. The tips of two teeth are polished to a pleasantly round and tactile smoothness. The name 'mastodon' comes from its high crown teeth, described as "nipple teeth" by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1817, and these teeth were suited to mashing leaves and twigs rather than grasses. President Thomas Jefferson became so obsessed by collecting mastodon bones, that he had an ulterior motive when sending Lewis and Clark to explore the West - and that was to bring back more mastodon remains. This is a fabulous find from a prehistoric creature that Jefferson might have coveted! Size: 11.25" L x 5.75" W x 6.5" H (28.6 cm x 14.6 cm x 16.5 cm); 10.5" H (26.7 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: ex- private southwestern Pennsylvania, USA collection, acquired prior to 2000
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#159354
Condition
Piece from a larger jaw section. Nicks and chips to molars and losses to root area. Large teeth with nice layers and mineral deposits!