Saturday, July 28, 2012

Very Old

On vacation in the Black Hills area this past week, we spent a few hours at Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, SD.

A sink hole formed about 26,000 years ago. It filled with water. Thirsty animals fell in and couldn't get out. With time, this filled in and was preserved.
When a plan for land development scratched the surface in 1974, its value was quickly realized! 

As we toured the rim of the excavation an international group of folks from Earthwatch was . . . carefully . . . slowly . . . working to uncover bones . . .  all within a beautiful building. Pretty impressive. 

http://www.mammothsite.com/

Here's more information about the volunteer group working at the site during July.

http://www.earthwatch.org/default.aspx

The fossil bones of Columbian and woolly mammoths 
are found scattered throughout the sinkhole. Snails were discovered at the edge!
 


Long Ago Snail
[photo taken through a glass display case and a magnifier]

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My mom was one of the EarthWatch volunteers in the first year or two they dug at this site! I love that snails have been found! Vicky