Bulgarian archaeologists are urgently excavating and recovering prehistoric animal remains believed to be a woolly mammoth after water levels in the Danube River dropped, revealing bones protruding near the shore close to the village of Rayahovo.
Preliminary assessments indicate the discovered remains are likely from a woolly mammoth, a gigantic mammal that once roamed across Europe during the Ice Age. So far, researchers have uncovered a lower jawbone, long tusks, scapula, ribs, and several other bone fragments, and they believe many more skeletal parts remain buried underground awaiting future excavation.
Krasimir Kirov, curator of natural history at the museum, revealed that this mammoth is unusually large, standing nearly 5 meters tall and weighing over 7-8 tons. He suggested that its remains may have been carried and deposited here by Danube River currents, which over thousands of years have accumulated many prehistoric animal fossils in this area.
Christina Ivanova, mayor of Rayahovo village, stated that the riverside area has yielded archaeological artifacts and animal remains many times before, including pottery shards and other ancient objects, reflecting the site’s long-standing historical significance.
Experts noted that woolly mammoths lived approximately 500,000 to 800,000 years ago and became extinct around 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. The newly found bones are fragile due to prolonged water immersion, so their removal from the water requires great care to prevent damage upon exposure to air.
After conservation and scientific study are complete, the mammoth remains are planned to be exhibited at the Ecomuseum in the city of Ruse, provided the bone fragments are in suitable condition.
This discovery serves as important evidence that helps reconstruct Europe’s prehistoric world and may lead to uncovering even more complete mammoth skeletons if excavation continues in the area.
: SourceReuters
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