Columbian Mammoth Fossil Molar

Approx. size: 6.5" x 3.25" x 5.25"

This Columbian Mammoth molar came from the coastal region of South Carolina.  The chewing surface and roots are nicely preserved.

The Columbian mammoth inhabited savannas and grasslands, much like our modern-day African elephant. Large males grew to about 4 meters long and weighed up to 7 tons with tusks that could grow up to 4.25 meters long.

Mammoths went through a maximum of six sets of teeth as they matured. As teeth were replaced, each successive tooth was larger and composed of more plates. Teeth ranged in size from about an inch at birth to 9-12 inches in the final set.  If the teeth in a mammoth’s final set became worn, the animal would have been unable to chew its food and eventually would starve to death.