Mammoth bones have been discovered during archaeological excavations conducted as part of the construction of the S17 expressway near Zamość (Lublin Province), the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) has announced. According to Dr. Rafał Niedźwiadek, an archaeologist from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS) in Lublin, such finds are considered rare.
Łukasz Minkiewicz from the Lublin branch of GDDKiA reported on Thursday that researchers uncovered the remains at an archaeological site in the village of Łabunie. The site was selected for exploration by the Lublin Provincial Heritage Conservator during the project documentation stage. Fieldwork began in the autumn of last year and is being carried out by the company APB Thor on behalf of GDDKiA.
“During the excavation, archaeologists found a mammoth tusk and a fragment of a pelvis, likely belonging to a mammoth or forest elephant. The remains were recovered in cooperation with scientists from the Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Institute of Archaeology at UMCS in Lublin and have been handed over for further analysis,” said Minkiewicz.
“Further research is needed to definitively determine the species classification of the discovered bones,” added Dr. Niedźwiadek, who was involved in securing the remains.
Dr. Niedźwiadek noted that such finds are rare. “The bones date back to the Pleistocene epoch. The discovery was made at an archaeological site, although no man-made artifacts from that period have been found so far. The search continues for material evidence of the ‘authors’ of this event – the humans who may have hunted the mammoth,” he explained.
The Pleistocene epoch, often referred to as the Ice Age, spanned from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. Mammoths roamed across northern Europe, Asia, and North America until the end of the last Ice Age. Humans hunted them and used their tusks for various purposes, including building shelters. Climate change is considered one of the main factors that led to their extinction.
So far, in the area of Łabunie, archaeologists have examined around 2.4 hectares, where they have uncovered the remains of a medieval settlement. They documented and investigated approximately 650 immovable features, tentatively dated to both the early and late Middle Ages.
“The researchers uncovered the remains of residential structures with associated postholes and utility pits, as well as two wells with wooden plank linings. The excavations also yielded several hundred fragments of ceramic vessels, animal bones, flint tools, a bone pin, an awl, and a stone quern,” Minkiewicz listed.
Across three sections of the S17 between Zamość Wschód and Hrebenne, totaling about 50 kilometers, GDDKiA has designated 17 archaeological sites covering a combined area of roughly 25 hectares. “Work has already been completed on some of these sites, while on others it is ongoing or about to begin. These sites were identified during earlier stages of project planning and are not expected to impact the overall project timeline,” Minkiewicz added.
The S17 expressway, running from Piaski near Lublin to the Ukrainian border at Hrebenne, will span approximately 125 kilometers. The entire route is expected to be completed by 2030. Most sections will be open to traffic by late 2027 or early 2028, with the final segments between Łopiennik and Krasnystaw, and from the Zamość-Sitaniec interchange to Zamość-Wschód, coming online thereafter.
Fragment of a mammoth blow (state of preservation at the time of discovery). Photo by P. Mroczek
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