- Fragment of hippo tusk (Hippopotamus amphibius)
Photos
Registered Find Basics
Interpretation
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- This fragment of a hippo tusk is approximately 115,000 years old and dates back to the last interglacial period. Surrounding finds suggest that the hippo has been scavenged the tusk deposited by spotted hyenas. It was found in the lower cave earth inside Victoria Cave in 1874 and is currently archived in the Tot Lord collection in Yorkshire.
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- Johanna Ungemach
- 19-8-2016
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- Believe it or not, there was a time when hippos waded through the Yorkshire Dales, while rhino, elephant and giant deer roamed the open grasslands, hunted by lions, hyenas and brown bears. This fragment of hippo tusk (Hippopotamus amphibius) was found in Victoria Cave, near Settle, providing hard evidence of the species that lived here during Last Interglacial – an Ice Age warm period lasting from 130,000-115,000 years ago. Found by Victorian archaeologists in 1874, they believed it to be their most important discovery that year. Hippo will travel considerable distances from their watery habitats in search of suitable grazing, and it is astonishing to realise that they once grazed the Dales… Even more so when you imagine the stand-offs between hippos and hyenas!
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- Nigel Steel
- 20-12-2016
3-D Models
Comments
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From Context
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Context: UTU_3004
- Chamber D used in the finds recording system during the excavation in 1870-78
- Nigel Steel
- 3-1-2017
- Hugh Fiske 17-8-2016