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First mammoth traps in the world found in Tultepec, Mexico

800 bones of at least 14 mammoth specimens were uncovered

The remains are from approximately 14,700 years ago – Photo: Antonio Díaz/EL UNIVERSAL
06/11/2019 |16:17Newsroom |
Redacción El Universal
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Workers in San Antonio Xahuento, Tultepec , in the State of Mexico , discovered the first trap in the world in a municipal common land.

Archeologist Luis Córdoba Barradas

explained that they found 800 bones of at least 14 of these animals from the Elephantidae family, two vertebrae and a camel jaw, as well as a horse molar.

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“They are two artificial mammoth traps . This is a watershed in history, not only on the country but in the world, because there have not been other traps of this kind found in other parts of the world,” said Córdoba Barradas .

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The land where they were found is property of the municipality and it had been prepared for it to be turned into a landfill . In January this year, the workers found the remains and alerted the .

“There are remains of at least 14 mammoths from 14,700 years ago ,” added the expert.

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The INAH archeologist said that Carbon-14 tests are yet to be carried out to verify the date, although the approximate date they calculate is due to their finding 12 cm of ashes from Popocatépetl from 14,700 years ago, located about 75 km away.

Córdoba Barradas said they have verified two traps , but they think there could be three more .

“The site is not open to the public, nor will it be, because these are fragile contexts. The remains will be exhibited in , but it will take some time,” said Pedro Francisco Sánchez Nava, INAH’s national Archeology coordinator.

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