THE film ‘Ice Age’ depicts ancient beasts of all colours and creeds working together side by side – and it turns out the kids flick wasn’t far off after all.
An enormous mammoth tusk has been uncovered in Mexico next to a camel skull and what appears to be the fang of a giant wolf.
The fossils are part of a treasure trove of ancient finds, including handmade weapons such as lances, dug up in the central state of Puebla.
The tusk is one of dozens of mammoth bones found at the site, including ribs, vertebrae and teeth. Some of the bones have damage marks from arrowheads, Mexico News Daily reports.
It’s believed the bones are around 14,000 years old and date back to the last Ice Age, when mammoths roamed North America.
No central record of the finds exists, and it’s feared local residents have pillaged bones from the site.
“Different pieces continue to be found,” said Héctor Aguilar Rosas, who heads up the Tepalcayotl Association, a non-profit group dedicated to preserving the heritage of Puebla.
“Some residents have them at their homes. The truth is we don’t have a complete register of the finds.”
The huge collection of artefacts was collected over a period of 18 months, but only formally presented by the Tepalcayotl Association this week.
Other than mammoth remains, a camel skull, dog bones and a fang belonging to an ancient wolf were also discovered, according to Mexico News Daily.
You might think it strange that a camel would roam Mexico, but the ancestor of the humped beasts we know today originated in Northern America.
Experts believe the animal remains found in Pueblo may have been gathered in one place because the creatures were hunted by prehistoric humans.
During the Ice Age, areas around the equator belt remained warm and grassy, providing the perfect environment for a camel. Mammoths often roamed south from icier spots on the continent.
The bones were reportedly stumbled upon by residents in the suburb of Chietla at the foot of a local hill.
Many of the artefacts found by archaeologists are broken or damaged.
The remains including the fossils of the tusks have been transferred to a government building for safekeeping.
They are being stored in a special room that will help to preserve the fossils. Work at the Puebla site continues.
In other news, Woolly mammoths may rise from the dead as Russia plans to clone them at Jurassic Park-style centre using Ice Age DNA.
Woolly mammoth cells “show signs of activity” after being implanted into mice.
Ancient cannabis pots buried in tombs reveal the world’s first stoners were 2,500-year-old Chinese worshippers.
Why do you think the animals were grouped together? Let us know in the comments!
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