Although the paleontological report is still pending, it could come from an early steppe elephant. These lived before the mammoths, which were also extinct. The find was discovered during construction work on a retention basin as flood protection next to the Wullka, ORF Burgenland reported. The municipality confirmed the find.
The tusk that was found is more than 1.80 meters long and was several meters deep – and this had been the case for several thousand years. According to the report, the animals were far larger than today’s elephants, stood more than four meters high at the shoulders and weighed up to ten tons. Archaeologist Dorothea Talaa reported on ORF that walkers had discovered the tusk: “When I came here, I saw what kind of bone it was, I couldn’t have dreamed of it.”
At least 30,000 years old
The exact age of the find now needs to be clarified paleontologically, but it is likely to be at least 30,000 years old, says Talaa. As soon as the documentation of the find has been completed, further work will continue at the site. At first she assumed that it might have been a European forest elephant, but after consulting with paleontology at the University of Vienna, it was probably an early steppe elephant. There has been no such find in Austria so far, comparable only in Germany, says Talaa.
Apart from the tusk, nothing else was found at the current site. But Talaa hopes for further discoveries – perhaps even of human activities, because: “Mattersburg is a hotspot. In the prehistoric era it was a central area with fertile soil and a good climate.” The tusk that has now been found is to be exhibited in the planned new museum in Mattersburg. Before that, it must be completely exposed and prepared.
The mayor of Mattersburg, Claudia Schlager (SPÖ), was pleased. In a statement, she said: “Work in our city continually uncovers historical relics, from clay pots to jewelry to gravesites from different eras.” However, the tusk that has now been discovered is “a unique testimony to the prehistory of our region.” The aim is to keep it in Mattersburg and make it accessible to the population, says Schlager.
ePaper
**Interview with Archaeologist Dorothea Talaa on the Recent Discovery of an Early Steppe Elephant Tusk**
**Editor:** Welcome, Dorothea! Thank you for joining us today. Your recent discovery of a tusk during construction work near Wullka is quite fascinating. Can you tell us how this find came about?
**Dorothea Talaa:** Thank you for having me! The find was entirely serendipitous. It happened during construction of a retention basin for flood protection. Some walkers in the area stumbled upon this massive tusk, and when I arrived on site, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was much more than I expected to see!
**Editor:** That sounds incredible! Can you describe the tusk and its significance?
**Dorothea Talaa:** Absolutely. The tusk is over 1.80 meters long and was buried several meters deep, indicating it has been there for thousands of years. Based on our findings so far, we believe it belonged to an early steppe elephant, which lived before the mammoths. This find is significant as it marks a rare occurrence of such a discovery in Austria; we only have comparable finds in Germany.
**Editor:** What do we know about the age of the tusk?
**Dorothea Talaa:** While we are still waiting for a detailed paleontological report, it is likely to be at least 30,000 years old. This timeframe places it firmly in the late Pleistocene epoch, a period rich in ancient megafauna.
**Editor:** Aside from the tusk, were there any other artifacts found at the site?
**Dorothea Talaa:** At this moment, only the tusk has been uncovered. However, I remain hopeful for more discoveries. Mattersburg itself is a hotspot for archaeological findings, and we could potentially uncover signs of prehistoric human activity in the area.
**Editor:** That would be an exciting development! You mentioned that the tusk will be displayed in a new museum in Mattersburg. Can you tell us more about that?
**Dorothea Talaa:** Yes! The intention is to prepare and fully expose the tusk for exhibition. We want to highlight its importance to the region’s prehistory. Mayor Claudia Schlager has emphasized the significance of this find, stating that it is a unique testimony to the history of our area. We hope to make it widely accessible so that both locals and visitors can appreciate this remarkable piece of our past.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dorothea, for sharing your insights on this remarkable find. We look forward to seeing how this discovery unfolds!
**Dorothea Talaa:** Thank you for having me! I’m excited to keep the public updated on our progress and future finds.
