Just in time for us to get more familiar with our new national mammal, one archaeological dig has given us a glimpse at one of the bison's extinct ancestors.

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The 14,000-year-old bison bones were discovered at the Old Vero Man Site in Vero Beach, Florida, one of the most prolific excavations in the country.

“This finding is especially significant because of the meticulous documentation that has been involved,”  James M. Adovasio, principal investigator, said in a press release from Florida Atlantic University (FAU). “Along with the fact that bones like this have never been found on land as part of a calculated archaeological effort. Others like this have all been found underwater, in sinkholes or streams.”

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Archaeologists found the bison 10 feet below the ground under a layer of material from what was thought to be the last ice age. The preservation of the remains was remarkable considering that bison bones usually disintegrate.

An upper molar allowed archaeologists to identify the animal as Bison antiquus, an ancient bison that stood 8 feet tall, 15 feet long and weighed almost two tons. 

Now the bones are being studied at FAU's Ancient DNA Lab. 

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