Rare for France discovery was made by the archeologists in the outskirts of Paris. As informed today at the National Institute of preventive archaeology (INRAP), in one of the quarries at the banks of the river Marne was found perfectly preserved skeleton of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) - one of the largest mammal that ever lived on earth. According to early estimates, the age of the finds is up to 200 thousand years.


The remains of the giant were found near the town of Change-sur-Marne 50 km away from the French capital during excavations on the site related to the Gallo - Roman period. In the course of work archaeologists spent sensing of soil, which showed that at the depth of 2.5 m lie the bones of ancient animals. As recognized by the researchers themselves, they are incredibly lucky: would be worth georadar on the meter on, the sensation would not take place.

After sensing that it was decided to engage in a serious study areas, this project aroused great interest in the scientific community of the country. Its implementation is connected and the government of the region of Ile-de-France. The expedition addition archaeologists included experts from various branches of natural Sciences from paleontologists and geomorphologists, to archeozoological and sedimentologic.

Often, the French experts found during excavations fragments of bones of fossil, however, to the great surprise of the members of the research team, their eyes appeared almost completely preserved skeleton of a mammoth. On a limited area were found, in particular, in whole extant tusks, jaw, shoulder bone, hip belt, and four United vertebra.

The researchers also found together with bones pieces of flint, which allowed to come to the conclusion that in this area lived Neanderthals. Presumably, flint weapon used in ancient times for cutting the carcass of a mammoth, which are estimated at the time of death was from 20 to 30 years, or were used as the murder weapon.

The discovery of giant, which the researchers was named Helmut, became a great success for the French archaeology. This is only the fourth case of the discovery of the remains of such animal in France, and the last time fortune smiled specialists from more than hundred years ago. "Despite the fact that the bones were partially scattered, mammoth remained almost entirely, - stressed the head of excavations Gregory bell. - Many archaeologists life only dreamed of such a discovery, and had not received such a chance", transfers ITAR-TASS.