Our Land Before Time – Mastodon Bones found in Vicksburg

If you live in Warren County, Mastodons roamed your neighborhood in an earlier age.

Imagine a time before recorded history, a period when humans lived among the prehistoric giant mammals, or megafauna, long extinct now. Humanity emerging during the ends of an Ice Age known as the Pleistocene period, which spanned over 2.5 million years. Rapid climate changes displaced life on Earth, as various species migrated across the globe in search of sustenance. This event brought people by way of the Bering Land Bridge to the North and South American continents as they followed those species that were vital to their survival.

Humanity linked to this area 12,000 years ago

A recent donation to the Old Court House Museum, mastodon remains discovered in Southern Warren County, piqued my curiosity about this period of history. I was surprised to find several pieces of evidence that linked humanity to this area nearly 12,000 years ago. Paleontologists have traced mastodon remains to several locations throughout the continent, Mississippi being one of the latest discoveries. Where mastodon and other wild game existed, humans were typically close by, as their survival depended heavily on these animals as a food source and crafting materials. According to A History of Mississippi: Volume I, one of the earliest pieces of evidence for the Mississippi region was found in 1846 near the Natchez area. Among a grouping of fossilized mastodon bones was a human pelvis believed to be 10,000 years or more in age. This discovery opened the floodgates for scientific research of prehistoric humans and provided additional venues of study on the connections between the Paleo-Era Natives and the 6,000-year period known as the Archaic Era that followed.

Mastodon remains at the Old Courthouse Museum

Examining their teeth and bones allows us to analyze their diet

Scientists can infer a remarkable amount of information from fossils. Studying the remains of mastodon gives us a better understanding of the biodiversity makeup of this region during the Pleistocene period. The examination of teeth and bones allows us to analyze their diet, habitat preferences, and migration patterns. While learning about these tells us more about the animal itself, it also provides a more complete picture of the climatic conditions and other potential ecosystems that made up this region. We already know that the Ice Age brought about intense shifts in the climate across the globe, and because of this, humanity was even more dependent on following the herds to warmer areas. Humanmastodon interactions are evidenced in the fossilized records as well. Butchering marks on the bones indicate that they were an active food source, while other evidence points to the use of their bones for tools or potential other uses.  Theories suggest that this could be a contributing factor in the extinction of much of the megafauna of the Pleistocene. Understanding the link between all of this evidence gives conservationists tools to combat and prevent other species from becoming endangered today.

Echoes of the Ice Age continue to resonate

Delving into the remnants of the Pleistocene period, marked by the coexistence of humans and prehistoric megafauna, provides a captivating glimpse into our ancient past. Just picturing the occupation of our home by these ancient species is fascinating, and as we uncover connections between humanity and mastodons in the Mississippi region, we will continue to enrich our understanding of prehistoric life and the interplay between them and their environment. The study of mastodons in Mississippi exemplifies how the echoes of the Ice Age continue to resonate, providing not only a window into humanity’s past, but also guidance for the conservation challenges of the future.