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FRACTURED MAMMOTH
BONES
LANGE FERGUSON SITE
SOUTH DAKOTA
COPYRIGHT
OCTOBER 31, 2012 PETER A. BOSTROM
RETURN TO PAGE 1
COLLECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL LABORATORY,
CENTER FOR WESTERN STUDIES
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE
This picture shows some of the
fractured mammoth bones and stone artifacts that were found on the
Lange Ferguson site. Some of these fractured bones, like the two
chopper/cleavers at top and lower center are believed to have been
used in the butchering process of two mammoths. Both of these
chopper/cleavers were made from the flat bone area from the same
right scapula of an adult mammoth. Both cleavers are described as
having some bifacial flaking. The edge of the longer cleaver was
bifacially flaked to form a sinuous edge. The longest cleaver
measures 17 15/16 inches (45.5 cm) long and weighs 7.28 pounds
(3,302.7). The heaviest cleaver at top
center measures 13 3/16 inches (33.5 cm) long and weighs 13.4 pounds
(6,088 grams).
The core at right edge center edge, with the long flake laying
against it, is one of five bone cores that were identified from the
site. This is no. 81-304 and it's one of the best examples that
shows evidence of platform preparation prior to the removal of the
large flake.
There were a total of four stone artifacts found on the Lange
Ferguson site. They are located on the large flat bone at lower
right. Two complete and one broken base of another Clovis point was
found within the excavation area. The fluted points were laying on
the bank of an ancient pond. The flake is made of semi-translucent
brown chalcedony. It was found in direct association with the
mammoth bones in the central bone bed concentration. It's believed
that the flake was removed from a biface.
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