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The extinction of woolly mammoths has long been a topic of debate. While some experts attribute it to climate change or bone disease, others argue that human hunters played a significant role. Although the exact cause of the species' demise remains unclear, the death of one particular mammoth is unmistakably linked to human activity. According to a recent study published in the journal Science, archaeologists have identified injuries on a woolly mammoth skeleton in Siberia, indicating human presence in the region 45,000 years ago.
This discovery pushes the timeline of human habitation in the Eurasian Arctic back by 10,000 years. Vladimir Pitulko, a lead archaeologist on the study, has previously made similar groundbreaking findings. In 2004, when it was believed humans arrived in the region 15,000 years ago, Pitulko and his team uncovered a collection of ancient hunting tools dating back 31,000 years. In an interview with National Geographic News, Pitulko noted that this evidence "shows humans were capable of surviving the extreme arctic conditions far earlier than previously assumed."
This latest discovery reinforces that idea. In 2012, a team led by Alexei Tikhonov unearthed the remarkably preserved remains of a male woolly mammoth from a Siberian Arctic cliff. The carcass was exceptionally well-preserved, yielding a nearly complete skeleton along with soft tissue from the mammoth’s hump and penis. After transporting the remains to the lab, Tikhonov, Pitulko, and their colleagues conducted a detailed analysis, uncovering further evidence of human interaction.
Pitulko et al., Science (2016)
The mammoth’s demise was unmistakably the result of human intervention. Its bones bore multiple wounds, including three on the left shoulder, one on the skull, two on the ribs, and a broken tusk. X-ray scans revealed that the injuries matched the shape of spear tips, confirming it was hunted.
The researchers describe a fierce, close-quarters battle, with hunters relentlessly stabbing, slashing, and hurling spears at the mammoth.
Once the mammoth was killed, the hunters broke its jaw and removed a portion of a tusk. This action likely aimed to access the mammoth’s large tongue, which studies suggest was a common food source for humans during that era.
The hunters also severed the tip of one tusk, presumably to repurpose it for crafting tools.
Using radiocarbon dating, the researchers analyzed the mammoth’s tibia and a sample from the cliff where it was discovered. Both tests confirmed the mammoth had been there for at least 45,000 years. In their paper, they state, “This provides rare, definitive proof of human involvement, even without associated artifacts. The ability of humans to thrive in the Arctic environment and expand across the region as early as [45,000 years ago] marks a significant cultural and adaptive milestone.”
