For
the past 17,000 years, an Ice Age mammoth, nicknamed “Benny,"
has been hiding six feet below ground nestled between
Rackham Court and Gehner, two Principia College campus
dormitories. Benny’s presence was detected in 1999
when a backhoe uncovered one of his teeth.
Now
this location, once the site of many Easties’ mud
fights, has been transformed into a modern paleontological
dig. In the spring of 2002, a geology class of 13 students
uncovered two tusks and two molars.
Work
continued by students and staff through the summer, and
additional bone material was encountered. This appears
to be one of the most significant mammoth finds in Illinois.
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Mammoth
Class, Spring 2003 |
Read
on for the latest on our progress
and to learn about our mammoth and his habitat - find
out what life was like at Principia during the Ice Age!
Mammoth Facts Handout
Bones Found To Date
Bone Map
Acknowledgments
Geology Department
Questions?
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