Mammoth remains found in deadly quicksand trap

Around a million years ago, in what is now Spain, tusks and bones were buried in a deadly quicksand trap, revealing a remarkable tale of early human survival, fierce beasts, and natural hazards.

This ancient site became a converging point for the earliest European humans and scavenging hyenas.

Drawn by the ensnared prey of the enormous extinct elephant, Mammuthus meridionalis, these early humans and predators found themselves in a deadly dance for survival.

The tale of this entangled drama was unearthed by diligent researchers from the University of Malaga (UMA), shedding light on a forgotten chapter of prehistoric life.

Hidden in plain sight

The hotspot in question is the archaeological site of Fuente Nueva 3 (FN3), nestled in Granada’s Guadix-Baza Depression, which is part of the renowned Orce region.

This unique area is a treasure trove of historical artifacts, offering a rich tapestry of human and animal activity from a distant past. Among the notable discoveries are lithic assemblages – stones meticulously carved by our ancestors.

The researchers uncovered compelling evidence of human presence dating back an astonishing 1.4 million years. These ancient inhabitants left behind unmodified stones, which were likely used as percussion tools to fracture bones and access the nutrient-rich marrow within.

Furthermore, these early humans may have employed these stones as primitive projectiles, hurling them to fend off scavenging hyenas and secure their hard-earned sustenance.

The site paints a vivid picture of early human ingenuity and adaptation in a challenging and competitive environment.

Nature’s lethal trap

The UMA researchers, led by Professor Paul Palmqvist and Professor María Patrocinio Espigares, made a stunning discovery.

The fertile layers of FN3 contained two different archaeological levels: lower and upper. Both levels were brimming with skeletal remains and lithic tools.

The lower level included a high density of manuports, hinting at increased hominin activity. The upper layer displayed remains of megaherbivores, particularly Mammuthus meridionalis, which suggested the increased involvement of giant hyenas.

The quicksand quandary

The researchers analyzed the differences in the faunal assemblages in the two levels along with the particle size in the fertile layers.

They found that the lower layer predominantly consisted of silts and clays, while the upper layer contained fine sands.

“These fine sand sediments, deposited close to the paleolake that was in the region, would also contain slightly saline water, a mixture that explains that they could have worked as quicksand, where larger animals were trapped,” noted the researchers.

Savage scavengers’ feast

The upper level, with its fine sands, had acted as a natural quicksand trap, effectively ensnaring the megaherbivores that roamed the area.

Once trapped, the massive creatures could not escape, and their half-sunken carcasses became a grim beacon for scavengers.

Hyenas and early humans alike were drawn to these easy targets, capitalizing on the unfortunate demise of the megaherbivores.

The evidence of their presence is abundantly clear: lithic assemblages and coprolites (fossilized hyena excrement) scattered across the site paint a vivid picture of this ancient scavenging behavior.

This remarkable discovery offers significant insights into the survival strategies of our ancestors, revealing how they adapted to and exploited their environment. It highlights the intricate interactions between early humans and other species, showcasing a complex web of life and death that shaped the course of evolution.

Furthermore, it marks the first description of a natural quicksand trap in a fossil deposit of such critical importance to human evolution, underscoring the profound impact of natural hazards on the history of life on Earth.

The mechanics of quicksand traps

Understanding how these quicksand traps formed requires a detailed study of the soil and water conditions at the time.

The researchers plan to investigate the sedimentary processes and water salinity that contributed to the formation of quicksand, which acted as a death trap for large animals and a feasting ground for scavengers.

The discovery at FN3 in Spain is not an isolated incident. Similar quicksand traps have been identified in other parts of the world, providing a broader understanding of how these natural phenomena influenced animal and human behavior.

Future research will compare these sites to gather more comprehensive data on the role of quicksand traps in prehistoric ecosystems.

The UMA team, which includes researchers from Complutense University of Madrid and Tarragona, plan to carry out more in-depth studies of the upper and lower archaeological levels and other significant sites within the Orce region.

The study is published in the journal Journal of Iberian Geology.

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