Ancient Tooth found on Masters Fieldclass

Students visiting the east Yorkshire coast on the Environmental Analysis of Terrestrial Systems Masters fieldclass this week have made a surprise discovery.

Embedded in the sediments they were studying they found bone and a large tooth. Initial identification of the tooth by Dr Mark Bateman suggested this could belong to a elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) and further research now confirms the find.

The bones are found in a cliff fall above a beach unit so it is possible the animal was walking along the beach and died as a result of the cliff collapse. The beach deposit dates to 120,000 years ago.

For further information contact Dr Bateman.