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					First Well-Preserved Mastodon Skull Unearthed in Iowa
					Archaeologists from the University of Iowa have uncovered the first-ever well-preserved mastodon skull scientifically excavated in the state. This remarkable find, dating back approximately 13,600 years, offers a rare glimpse into a time when humans and mastodons coexisted in what is now Iowa.
A Significant Discovery in Wayne County
The discovery began in the fall of 2022, when a local resident of Wayne County stumbled upon an unusually large bone embedded in a creek bed on private property in the southwestern part of the county, reports Iowa University News. This bone turned out to be a mastodon femur, catching the attention of John Doershuk, the director and state archaeologist at the University of Iowa's Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA).
Intrigued by the find, the OSA team returned to the site in the fall of 2023 and uncovered a broken tusk protruding from the creek bed. This find suggested the possibility that the tusk was still attached to the skull, prompting a formal excavation. With grant funding from the Wayne County Foundation and donations from the Prairie Trails Museum of Corydon, Iowa, the archaeologists launched a 12-day dig in August 2024.
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