Findings of Mammoth Tusk and Teeth Fragments in the Floodplain of the Jyrgalan River

June 19, 2024

Findings of Mammoth Tusk and Teeth Fragments in the Floodplain of the Jyrgalan River

On June 2, 2024, fragments of a mammoth tusk were discovered during quarrying in the Issyk-Kul region within the floodplain of the Jyrgalan River. A team led by archaeologist Aida Abdykanova immediately went to the site of the artifact's discovery They identified two different discovery locations, situated approximately 140-150 meters apart from each other. At one of these locations, they dug a trench and uncovered the lower part of a mammoth skull with upper teeth. These findings are not the first such discovery in Kyrgyzstan. The unique artifact is stored in the American University of Central Asia laboratory, where conservation work is underway.

This meticulous process is expected to span several years and involve delicate drying, conservation, restoration, and perhaps even reconstruction to prepare the mammoth remains for museum exhibition. Archaeologists can carry out the stages of drying and preserving remains, but restoration and reconstruction require professional restorers.

Similar discoveries were made there in the 1970s and 2016. The middle Pleistocene river terraces of Jyrgalan are highly promising for identifying Pleistocene megafauna remains.