The American mammoth was probably the biggest, standing about 13 feet tall at the shoulder. Mammoths were well known to humans. In France, they were pictured on cave walls, and in Siberia, their bones and tusks were used for house framing. Several archaeological sites have been found near Tolo Lake that contain possible clues to these questions. At several nearby sites, relics of early humans have been uncovered.
Spearheads used by early humans are among the artifacts that have been found.
Some archaeologists believe that these flaked-stone weapons were used to kill off the mammoths. By comparing the skeletal structure of existing animals with fossils of extinct mammals, paleontologists can often make reasonable assumptions about the fossils they have discovered. Additionally, by understanding the form and function of existing species, paleontologists can determine how creatures like the mammoth moved its muscle groups and walked. Click on the picture to the left to access more information related to the use of comparative anatomy at Tolo Lake. The Tolo Lake Mammoth WWW site was created by the BSU Radio Network for use as a curriculum tool for Idaho Public Schools.