Complete mastodon jaw fossil found in New York backyard

A historic (or perhaps more accurately, prehistoric) discovery was made just under the surface of a New York homeowner’s lawn.

A historic (or perhaps more accurately, prehistoric) discovery was made just under the surface of a New York homeowner’s lawn.

A complete mastodon jaw was found in the backyard of a home in the Orange County town of Scotchtown, according to state officials. The jaw, along with additional bone fragments, was recovered by researchers from the New York State Museum and SUNY Orange, the state Education Department said in a press release Tuesday.

It was the first find of its kind in New York in more than 11 years, the officials said.

The mastodon jaw, which was believed to be from an adult, was unearthed by researchers after the homeowner spotted it coming out from his lawn. The homeowner initially found two teeth hidden by a plant on the property, and after digging just a few inches underneath that, two more teeth were found.

“When I found the teeth and examined them in my hands, I knew they were something special and decided to call in the experts,” the homeowner said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/complete-mastodon-jaw-fossil-found-new-york-backyard-rcna184643

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