The Condover Mmmoth Site

Cranium, jrg. 10, no. 1, pag. 61-67, februari 1993

The Condover mmmoth site:

excavation and research 1986-93

A.M. Lister

Summary

A chance discovery at Condover, Shropshire in west central England in 1986 led to the excavation of an almost complete adult skeleton of mammoth (Mammuthusprimigenius (Blum.)), together with partial skeletons of at least three juveniles. remains The remains occurred in a kettle hole infill and date to c. 12,500 BP, within the late glacial interstadial. Organic the excel- within the kettle hole deposits give a detailed picture of environmental change through the Late Glacial, and lent preservation of the mammoth skeletons has encouraged multidisciplinary research at the osteological, histological and molecularlevels.

Samenvatting

in in in 1986 leidde het van een Een toevallige ontdekking Condover, Shropshire Engeland tot opgraven bijna kompleet skelet van een volwassen mammoet (Mammuthus primigenius (Blum.)), samen met gedeeltelijke skeletten van minstens

uit hebben ouderdom drie jongen. De resten zijn afkomstig een opvulling van een ”kettle hole” en een van ongeveer

12.500 v. Chr. Organische resten afkomstig van de sedimenten uit de ”kettle hole” geven een gedetailleerd beeld van de

veranderingen tijdens de laatste ijstijd. De uitstekende staat van conservering van de skeletten maakte een multidiscipli-

nair moleculair nivo. onderzoek mogelijk op osteologisch, histologisch en

Discovery and excavation

The story of the Condover mammoths began on Satur-

day 27th September 1986, when Mrs Eve Roberts was

walking with her dogs around the perimeter of a wor-

of Condover in king gravel pit near the village Shropshi-

re (Fig. 1). With no special interest in palaeontology or

archaeology, but of an observant and inquisitive nature,

she noticed some large bones projecting from a pile of

mud, and on returning hometelephoned the Shropshire

Mr G.I. her dis- Museums Officer, McCabe, to report visited the site and the covery. He recognising possible importance of the find, contacted Dr G.R. Coope of

Birmingham University. It soon became evident that the

remains of the skeleton of were part an elephantid, pro-

bably a mammoth, and ARC gravel company agreed to

work in that of the allow cease part pit to an emergency

excavation.

much of the Condover sands and Over site, glacial gra-

vels occur close to the surface, and are being commerci-

ally exploited. In the area of the mammoth fmds, how-

filled basin of and 50-75 ever, a clay peat deposits, some

m in diameter, had been encountered (Fig. 2). The bo-

nes were uncovered by large mechanical digging machi-

field at the the and nes, standing on a edge of pit dig-

the ging into the pit to remove 'useless' clay andpeat. At had hit instead of a certain depth they the bones, but

stopping, the workmen had dug them all up, throwing

them into the spoil heap on the field behind them.Thus

articulated skeletons became and of the jumbled many the bones broken, removing much information which Fig. 1: Map of Western England and Wales, showing the position of could have been retrieved in situ. Nonetheless, a great the Condover site. The southern limit of the late Devensian ice ad- deal of scientific research has been possible on the bo- vance is indicated as a dashed line.

nes and sediments, remarkable considering the condi- 1: Kaart West Wales Fig. van Engeland en waarin de vindplaats tions of excavation. Condover is De aangegeven. Zuidgrens van de Devensian ijsuitbrei- is ding aangegeven met een stippellijn.

61 2: in the of the the Fig. The Condover gravel pit area mammoth finds. A machine working from approximately the position of one in the photo-

had down and encountered the skeletons the marked graph dug in area with a asterisk, turing and throwing them onto a spoil heap where the figu- time of this res are standing. At the photograph,slumping had obscured much of the section, but the upper clay and peat horizons can be seen at the top of the face. Photo author.

2: Overzicht van de Condover. De machine is Fig. groeve ongeveer op de plaats vanwaar de skeletten op een hoop zijn gegooid. De bovenste klei-

de het is het dat deze foto lagen zijn te zien, rest van profiel onduidelijk op moment werd genomen (foto: A. Lister).

A few days after the initial discovery, announcements in Geology the local media brought forth a small army of willing Detailed geological studies at the site have been under- volunteers, who together with Shropshire Museums Ser- taken by Dr J.D. Scourse (Bangor). The sediment-filled vice staff began the arduous process of digging through basin within which the mammoths occurred is interpre- the mountainous spoil heaps looking for bones (Fig. 3). ted 'kettle of which known from the Mechanical used of as a hole', many are diggers were to pick up batches the filled the surrounding area, some up to modern surface, heavy clay deposit and spread it more thinly over the

others containing water. Kettle holes are for- where it could be sorted with This standing field, spades. process med as a result of large, buried blocks of ice being left continued sporadically through October and November As the block and resulted in of by a retreating glacier. slowly melts, over- 1986, the recovery many bones, inclu- sediments crater-like structure the first that indicated the of lying collapse, forming a ding presence juvenile as which subsequently fill with sediment. Evidence of well as adult mammothremains. may

this collapse at Condover is seen in the contact surfaces After a break, during which preliminary scientific stu- between the basin infill and the dies further underlying gravels, were carried out, excavations were moun- which dip towards the centre of the basin at of ted three weeks from angles over June to July 1987. At this to 60° from the horizontal. At its the Condo- time up centre also, and again in January 1988, a programme of ver kettle hole is some ten metres deep. geological investigation at the site incuded the mechani-

cal cutting of clean sections, and logging a series of bo- The Condover site lies just within the limit of the main is believed that almost bones reholes. It all present in ice advance of the Devensian Cold Stage (Fig. 1), which the spoil heap have been recovered, but others certainly occurred c. 20-15 kyr ago. It was the retreat of this gla- remainin bottomof the original pit, now flooded. cier which led to the formationof the local kettle holes, The excavation and original processing of the bones was so a very late date for the mammoths, post-dating 15 kyr largely co-ordinated by G.I. McCabe, who also organis- BP, is likely from the geological setting alone, and has ed an exhibition on the mammoths on behalfof Shrops- been confirmed by radiocarbon dating (see later). hire County Council.

Scientific work, involving over thirty specialists, has The lower part of the kettle hole infill (Fig. 4, units been co-ordinated G.R. and the shows alternation the and by Coope present aut- 3&4) an of, on one hand, clay

hor, and will & be fully presented elsewhere (LISTER silt layers indicating standing or very slow water condi- of COOPE, in preparation). Some the main results are tions, and on the other hand, gravel horizons suggesting

summarisedhere. that times the basin at was part of a fluval system. The

horizon within which the mammoth bones occurred

62 Fig. 3: Dr Russell Coope unearths another bone from the spoil heap, as television cameras watch from above. Photo Shropshire County Council.

Fig. 3: Dr Russell Coope maakt eenbot schoon. (Foto: Shropshire County Council).

unit dark silt about mineral vivianite. To avoid the bo- (Fig. 4, 5) was a grey a metre deep cracking on drying,

and five below the modern land surface. treated with dilute of some metres nes were a aqueous solution PVA

Very few bones were found in situ within the pit, but before being allowed to slowly dry out (Fig. 5).

those found on the spoil heap were generally coated The osteology of the skeletons has been the responsibi- with the characteristic dark grey silt, and pollen analysis lity of the author. Approximately four hundred speci- of sediment dug out of bones gave a perfect match with mens were recovered from the site, but because of brea- in situ samples from that horizon. kage during excavation, these represented fewer actual The upper part of the sequence, above the mammoth which had bones to be reconstructed like a giant jigsaw horizon, comprised an alternation of clay layers with Of the adult mammoth skeleton have all of units puzzle. we highly organic peaty deposits (Fig. 2; Fig. 4, 6-8). the major limb bones (Fig. 6) and about 50% of the Within one of the peat layers, an associated skeleton of hand and foot bones, the lower jaws, two hyoid bones, red deer (Cervus elaphus) i was recovered. The age of six of the seven neck vertebrae, seventeen of the nine- these levels will be discussed later.

teen thoracics, four of the five lumbars, two tail verte-

The mammoth skeletons brae, the sacrum and pelvic girdle, thirtysix of the thir-

eight ribs, and the complete sternum. The chiefelement The mammoth when cleaned of bones, sediment, were a is the of which lacking cranium, no part was recovered chocolate brown color of fresh unusually appearance, of except fragments tusk and parts of the second and leading one colleague to remark that they looked as third molars. There is no duplication of adult skeletal though they had come "straight from a butcher's shop". elements, indicating that a single articulated skeleton of the blue Many of them were covered with a dusting of

63 4: the kettle based in Lister Fig. Schematic logitudinalsection of Condover hole, on Scourse, & Coope (in prep.) Key; 1, till; 2, glacio-fluvial sands;

3, dark silt humified Not pink glacio-lacustrine clay; 4, gravel; 5, grey (mammoth stratum); 6, sedge peat; 7, grey clay; 8, peat; 9, ploughsoil. to scale.

4: Schematische doorsnede het Condover ”kettle hole” in Lister & Fig. lengte van naar Scourse, Coope (in prep.). (niet op schaal).

Fig. 5: Eve Roberts (left) helps Sheila Griffiths of Shropshire Museums Service to clean the left mandible of the adult mammoth. Photo author.

Fig. 5: De linker onderkaak van de volwassen mammoet wordt schoongemaakt. (foto: A. Lister).

64 Mammuthus primigenius was present in the deposit.

The Condover skeleton is the most complete known from the British Isles, and one of approximately six comparably complete specimens from Europe outside

Russia.

Approximately one hundred bones of juvenile mammoth were recovered. These include mandibles, partial crania and teeth, a hyoid bone, vertebrae, ribs and limb bones (Fig. 6). The presence of three lower jaws indicates that at least three individuals are represented, but the similar skeletal size of the individuals very precludes sorting of the other bones into discrete skeletons. A single rib markedly larger than those of the otherjuveniles, but smaller than the adult and ribs, probably represent fifth a individual.A series of juvenile thoracic vertebrae were recovered in partial articulation, implying that the skeletons had been articulated in situ.

The excellent state of preservation of the bones encou-

for the of macromole- raged testing presence biological cules. Dr J.M. Lowenstein (San Fransisco) has extrac- ted two proteins, albumin and collagen, from samples of adult mammoth bone, and compared them by radioim-

with antisera from of munoassay a variety living mammals. The mammoth showed proteins strong similarity with those of modern Asian and African elephant, and

much less with bovines and other mammals. As expec- ted, the Condover sample also compared closely with antisera raised against proteins from flesh of the Siberi- an frozen baby mammoth 'Dima'. Further molecular work is being undertaken by Dr E. Hagelberg (Cam- bridge), with the aim of extracting and sequencing ge- netic material (DNA) from the skeleton. Fig. 6: Right ulnae of adult and juvenile mammoth. The distal epi- The adult mandible contains the second molars in late physis is still unfused in both specimens. Scale bar 10 cm; photo

author. wear, with the third molars ready to come into wear be- Fig. 6: Rechter ulna van een volwassen en een jonge mammoet. De hind (Fig. 5). By comparison with modern Asian and distale epiphyse is nog niet vergroeid (maatstreep = 10 cm). (foto: African elephants (JACHMANN, 1988; ROTH & SHOSHA- A. Lister).

Ni, 1988), this indicates an age at death of about 28 ye-

of the bone still ars. Many long epiphyses were open, so with the animal had not yet completed growth, despite an es- elephants stay their mother, not their father, and

timated shoulder of 320 The of adult males of 28 alone in bachelor living height c. cm. sex years roam or

the animal can be determined from the morphology of groups, not with their kin. Moreover, twinning is rare in

its in the and the birth interval for female pelvic girdle (LISTER, press), relatively narrow elephants, a given ge- birth canal and wide ilium male. least clearly indicating a nerally at 4 years (MOSS, 1988), so it is unlikely that the sibs. The juveniles were adult and juvenile animals Two of the juvenile mandibles are almost identical in Condover could in have been of the at theory part same size and form, containing the last vestiges of the second herd, or alternatively may have entered the kettle hole molariform teeth (dP3), and the third tooth (dP4) in at widely spaced intervals. early wear. This indicates an age of three to four years

for these individuals. The third has A of the adult's two juvenile a very interesting aspect morphology has mandiblewith dP4 in advanced slightly larger a more been srudied by Drs J. Baker (Liverpool) and E. Clark of of stage wear, corresponding to an age five or six (London). The mammoth's left scapula shows patholo-

Two ilia features that it had suffered fracture (COOPER & LISTER, 1987). preserved juvenile gical indicating a differ different in shape in such a way as to suggest during life which had subsequently rehealed. The frac- sexes, but these cannot be associated with specific jaws ture line is positioned a few centimetres below the dor- or other bones. sal edge of the bone, and is approximately 35cm long. of The top part the shoulder blade had completely By analogy with modern elephants, these make it unli- least snapped off at two years before death, and had re- Juvenile kely that the individuals were a family group.

65 Fig. 7: Microscopic thin section of lamellar bone from the adult mammoth. Bone cell spaces organised into Haversian systems, and larger vessel spaces, can be clearly seen.The mineral fraction was dissolved before preparation of the slide., illustrating the excellent preservation of the protein

matrix. Magnification approximately x200; photo J. Baker.

7: het Goed zichtbaar Fig. Microscopisch dunne doorsnede van bot van de volwassen mammoet. zijn de botcellen en de grotere bloedvaten (ver- groting: +/- 200x; foto: J. Baker).

healed in an overlapping position with pathological sence of numerous taxa today inhabiting the high arctic, bone thickening. The cause of the fracture is a matter forming an assemblage characteristic of the cold period

for down hole This speculation: falling a perhaps, or a fight prior to 12900 BP (ATKINSON et al., 1987). con- with another male? trasts with five accelerator dates on the mammoth ske-

the time of their the mammoths letons which from c. At death, however, ap- themselves, gave ages ranging in of of pear to have been a good state nutritional health. 12,700 to c. 12300 BP, with a weighted mean 12480

Histological and X-ray studies by J. Baker show dense + /- 96 BP (HEDGES et al., 1989; LISTER, 1991). These

lamellar of dates indicate that the mammoths the bone (Fig. 7) and no sign seasonal stress, in- were living during dicating a favourable environment with abundant year- late-glacial interstadial, a time of temperate climate. It round food. is possible that the association with arctic insects is due

to the mammoths having sunk into soft clay deposited Environmental studies, dating and taphonomy several hundred years prior to their demise.

Above the mammoth of brown silt horizons stratum, a layer sedge The clay and peaty at Condover have yiel- (unit 6) with radiocarbon dates of peat occurs, indicating ded an abundance organic remains in addition to the deposition between c.11600 and 10600 BP. This peat mammoth skeletons. These include pollen (studied by

contained a richer plant assemblage than the mammoth J.D. Scourse), plant macrofossils (A.R. Hall, York), stratum, including Betula (birch, both tree and dwarf), beetles (G.R. Coope), midge and caddis-fly larvae, and Salix (willow), Populus (poplar) and a variety of herba- well and ostracods, as as localised fish amphibian re- the later ceous plants, corresponding to part (Allerpd) mains. Together with radiocarbon dating carried out by of the late-glacial interstadial. It is succeeded a layer the these remains have by Oxford AMS laboratory, given a of clay (unit 7) where tree pollen has again declined but detailed picture of environmental changes during the sedges, and taxa such as Artemisia and Rumex infill of the Condover kettle hole. grasses, have increased. This layer, corresponding to the Youn- The lowest and thickest level of the sequence (Fig. 4, ger Dryas stadial, is capped by further peaty deposits unit 3), a pink laminatedclay; was devoid of organic re- (unit 8) indicating the forested conditions of the early mains. Above it of then the dark lay a seam gravel and Flandrian, with a date of 9350 +/- 100 BP (Ox-A 2234) grey silt forming the mammoth horizon (unit 5), contai- at its base. ning an abundantpollen record indicating a treeless en- of fauna A particulary intriguing part the insect was vironment dominatedby grasses and sedges (the latter found not in the general matrix of the mammoth stra- probably associated in life with the partly water-filled within the cavities of the and bones tum, but skull jaw kettle hole itself). This stratum was also rich in insect themselves. These bones yielded hundreds of the beetle fauna notable for the puparia, remains, being pre-

66 which have been identified by Dr Y.Z. Erzinclioglu A few other European finds indicate return of the spe-

(Cambridge), as Phormia terraenovae, a species of fly cies after 13 kyr BP: these includde the engravings from

Similar have been which feeds on rotting flesh. puparia Gonnersdorf, Germany (BOSINSK1,1979) and the skele- of found associated with a number other Quaternay ton from Praz Rodet, Switzerland (WEIDMANN, 1969). mammal remains, including mammoth crania from Ger- The Condover discoveries stimulated a programme of

mammoth many and The Netherlands (HEINRICH, 1988). The Con- radiocarbon dating other possible late fossils

dover puparia were empty, indicating that the mam- in Britain, resulting in dates from several other sites in

the had been 13 - 12 BP moth carcasses (or at least, heads) aerially the range kyr (LISTER, 1991). These make it exposed for at least two weeks before burial or submer- clear that the cause of extinction of the mammoth in

since this is the minimum time - gence, required by the Europe was not the main ice advance of c. 20 15 kyr flies and of the adult. between egg-laying hatching new BP, but events in the late-glacial, whether climatic hu- Associated with the fly puparia were abundant remains man, or a combinationof the two (STUART, 1991). Cur- of the dung beetle to the the date of extinction of mammoth in Aphodius prodromus, adding rently, Europe ap-

vivid scenario of the mammoths'demise. to be at least pears c. 12 kyr BP, a thousand years

before its demise in North America and Siberia. The steep sedimentary dips at the sides of the Condover The Condover mammoths are remarkable for their tan- kettle hole led initially to the suggestion that the anim- gible evidence of late survival, their completeness, and als had wandered in in -perhaps search of food or the associated environmental information. Their disco-

drink- and been unable to escape because of the steep, very was also exceptional for the degree of public inte- slippery sides of the basin (COOPE & LISTER, 1987). De- and media which it for multi- rest coverage caused, the tailed geological analysis by J.D. Scourse now indicates, disciplinary research it stimulated, and for however, that a considerable of this subsidence part how the observational of demonstrating powers non- happened after the of the so that the entry mammoths, scientific specialists can lead to discoveries of major im- sides were considerably less steep at the time. It is more portance. likely, therefore, that the animals met their end by mi-

in the ring sticky mud at the bottom, as occasionally Acknowledgements:

happens to elephants in Africa today (HAYNES, 1988). I am very grateful to my colleagues who have allowed

me to quote theirwork in preperation. The significance of the finds

Author’s address:

The Condover mammoths were the first to demonstrate

the presence of the species in Britainafter the retreat of A.M. Lister

the dated records all than of ice; previous were earlier 20 Department Biology

kyr BP. University College London

London WC1E 6BT

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