Archaeologists in the northern Czech Republic have uncovered the remains of 19 mammoths dating back to 24,000 BC while surveying a construction site.
The Ústí nad Labem Region is now preparing a website featuring a 3D model of the discovery.
Last autumn, archaeologist Petr Lissek, director of the Institute for Archaeological Monument Protection of Northwest Bohemia, held a piece of mammoth vertebrae in his hands for the first time during an inspection of the future construction site of the Palace of Justice in Ústí nad Labem.
Instead of excitement, he was overcome with doubts about what to do next and whether it was worth continuing the project which would involve routine archaeological monitoring of a site worth several billion crowns.
At the time, Lissek couldn’t have imagined that he was on the verge of a remarkable discovery.
Initially, he thought the bone might have belonged to another prehistoric animal. But just a few days later, a detailed survey process began, revealing that the archaeologists had uncovered an exceptionally large and important site, though its exact structure and significance were not yet clear.
It was soon confirmed that this was truly a unique discovery, with significance extending beyond the Czech Republic. Archaeologists unearthed a cluster of bones from ancient hunters dating back to around 24,000 BC, including the remains of 19 mammoths, according to Radio Prague International.
“This discovery is particularly important because finds related to mammoth hunting are extremely rare in northwestern Bohemia,” notes Petr Neruda, director of the Anthropos Institute at the Moravian Regional Museum and a leading Czech expert on this historical period.
Until now, most significant discoveries have been made primarily in Moravia.
