In 1890 bones, molar teeth and tusks of at least 7 different mammoths had been found in a peat horizon at the base of a gravel pit at Niederweningen near Zurich. In 1988 pollen analysis showed, that the peat was deposited in the last interglacial and at the beginning of the last glaciation, so the age should be of around 100 ka BP. But new excavations in 1987/90 provided more peat material, which was radiocarbon dated between 33 and 42 ka BP. A few bones from the new and old excavations were also radiocarbon dated between 33 and 35 ka BP. More excavations for new buildings followed in 2003 and 2004 located in a close proximity to the Niederweningen Mammoth pit. These resulted in new finds of mammoth remains, especially an articulated skeleton, and disarticulated bones of other animals such as birds and frogs. A project dedicated to reconstruction of the environment in which the mammoth lived includes pollen, beetle, macrofossils, and fossil wood analysis. Three sections of peat associated with the mammoth provide organic material for these studies. Moreover, OSL analysis of the sediment section will provide time control for sediments older than 45 ka. We will present preliminary results of AMS 14C dating of bones of mammoth, peat and wood found in association with mammoth. Where possible, two preparation techniques were applied to bones. An organic fraction called collagen was dated as well as gelatin prepared using modified Longin method. The ages confirm that the dated mammoths as well as the peat section, in which they were found, are older than 40 ka BP. The differences between ages obtained on collagen and gelatin fractions show contamination of collagen fraction with modern carbon. This is supported by the age of the peat fraction and wood found in peat.
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