By bike on the way: Henri discovers primeval tusks in Mattersburg

By bike on the way: Henri discovers primeval tusks in Mattersburg

An exciting adventure for the eight -year -old Henri from Mattersburg, Austria, began on a Saturday afternoon when he explored the area by bike. The young explorer came across an incredible relic from the prehistoric period - an approximately 1.80 meter long tusks that appeared during construction work for a retention basin. This could be seen as a sensational archaeological find that the expert believes that he once belonged to one of the greatest species of the past.

Henri, who already has a great passion for archeology, was playing near the construction site and initially thought that he had found petrified wood. However, he quickly noticed that it was something far more important. "I found stones first and then saw that something looks out of the earth that is reminiscent of petrified wood," said his own description. After making the find, Henri immediately informed the municipality and archaeologist Dorothea Talaa.

fossils from primary history discover

The encounter of Henri and the tusks could be of great importance for the region. The suspicion had arisen in advance that the tusks could come from a European forest elephant. However, experts assume that the remains of a mammoth or a steppe mammoth could be, which focuses on an even earlier era of earth history. However, the exact age determination and analysis are still pending, as Mayor Claudia Schlager emphasizes: "We are currently still waiting for the paleontological report that can clearly confirm this."

The tuscup was recovered on November 6, 2024 and will be sent to the university in Vienna for further examination. Uniprofessor Doris Nagel is certain that it is a protective remains of a fossil elephant. "Whether it is really an old elephant, as we say, steppe mammoth, or whether it is a tusks from a mammoth as we know it, from the ice age, we cannot say that at the moment," she explains. She adds that the tusks could probably be over 120,000 years old.

cultural importance of the find

The find not only represents a scientific milestone, but also influences the cultural heritage of the region. Mayor Schlager was enthusiastic about the extraordinary find: "When working in our city, historical relics always come to daylight, from clay pots to jewelry to graves from different eras.

It is planned to issue the tusks in Mattersburg so that the population gets an insight into this valuable find. While the family of the little discoverer hopes for a finder wage - even if the site is located on an urban property - Henri is happy about the opportunity to see the tusks regularly. "I am very happy and when it is exhibited in Mattersburg, I can always look at him," he said. This case is reminiscent of similar finds to the 25 million year old shark tooth that a seven-year-old boy excavated in Germany.

For further exciting information and details on this remarkable find, visit www.hna.de .