{"product_id":"woolly-mammoth-tusk-fragment-from-alaska-ice-age-fossil","title":"Woolly Mammoth Tusk Fragment from Alaska – Ice Age Fossil","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis authentic \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWoolly Mammoth tusk fragment\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a long, slender section recovered from a gravel bar in Alaska's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTanana River Valley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Its heavily weathered outer surface displays earthy brown, tan and darker mineral tones, while the exposed inner portion reveals the lighter cream colour and fine growth structure of the ancient tusk. The naturally tapered shape and irregular fractured edges give this specimen a rugged character and a fascinating connection to Alaska's Ice Age past.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpecimen Details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFossil:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Woolly Mammoth tusk, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMammuthus primigenius\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpecimen:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e S977\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLocality:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Tanana River Valley, Alaska, USA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGeological Age:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Pleistocene Epoch \/ Ice Age\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Fossil mammoth tusk \/ fossil ivory\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Naturally weathered and fragmented\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSize:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 25mm x 136mm x 16mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 49 grams\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Woolly Mammoth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Woolly Mammoth (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMammuthus primigenius\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) was one of the great herbivores of the Pleistocene Epoch. Closely related to modern elephants, it was adapted to the cold northern environments of the Ice Age, with a thick coat, dense underfur and insulating body fat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlaska formed part of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeringia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the vast Ice Age landscape that once connected Alaska and Siberia. This cold, dry environment supported extensive grasslands where mammoths, horses, bison and other large Ice Age animals lived.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the Ice Age ended, the climate became warmer and wetter, changing the mammoth-steppe habitat and reducing the grasslands on which mammoths depended. Human activity may also have contributed to their decline. Most mainland Woolly Mammoths disappeared around 10,000 years ago, although isolated populations survived much longer. The last known Woolly Mammoths lived on Wrangel Island until approximately 4,000 years ago.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy Are Mammoth Tusks Often Broken and Split?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eComplete mammoth tusks are much less commonly recovered than fragments. After death, a tusk could remain buried for thousands of years while being exposed to pressure, moisture, mineral changes and repeated freezing and thawing. These processes can create weaknesses and enlarge natural cracks within the dentine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRiver systems can cause further fragmentation. As Alaskan rivers erode ancient sediments and permafrost, mammoth remains can become exposed and move through gravel deposits. Contact with rocks and gravel can break already-fractured tusks into smaller sections.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe fractures, weathering and exposed inner material seen on this specimen are therefore part of its natural story. They provide a glimpse into the structure of an ancient mammoth tusk and its long journey from an Ice Age animal, through burial and preservation, to discovery in the Tanana River Valley.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ForeverGems_Tuc26","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46516837089476,"sku":"S977","price":150.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0273\/1599\/4699\/files\/S977WoollyMammothTusk_1.webp?v=1786633875","url":"https:\/\/www.forevergems.co.za\/products\/woolly-mammoth-tusk-fragment-from-alaska-ice-age-fossil","provider":"ForeverGems_SA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}