A Mammoth Find!

Among the many fabulous articles that individuals have brought into the Prairie Heritage Center was a HUGE treasure. It was actually MAMMOTH in its proportions … both literally and figuratively! Eugene Den Hartog, of Sheldon, brought in an almost complete mammoth tooth which was found in O’Brien County.

In order to research the specimen and learn more about how to preserve such a special item, professionals from four states were consulted. The results are in! The tooth in question belonged to a Jeffersonian Mammoth, Mammuthus jeffersonii. Due to the size, shape and ridge pattern, the paleontologists were also able to give an estimate of age. This tooth was identified as being a third molar.

Imagine having teeth as big as a shoe box … and growing six sets of teeth over a lifetime. A mammoth had four functional teeth in its mouth at one time - two upper and two lower molars. A mammoth chewed approximately 500 pounds of vegetation each day. Over the years the molars would wear down and break apart. Luckily, behind each worn tooth, in the jaw and skull, new teeth were formed. Throughout its lifetime the mammoth would have six new sets of teeth that gradually pushed the old set out of its mouth in a conveyor like fashion . The first set of molars would be the size of an adult human molar. The second set replaced the first at about 18 months of age. The third molar, as was brought into the center, remains in the mouth until about 10 years of age. The final set grew in at 40 years of age, and lasted until the time of death.

The mammoth tooth that is at the center will be undergoing a lengthy preservation process before it is able to be displayed. In the meantime, check out our temporary exhibit - “Mammoths on Our Land” - coming to the Prairie Heritage Center soon.