Crews shifting work from fossil site to museum

[November 13, 2010]  SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) -- Scientists say results from the first radiocarbon tests show that some of the Ice Age animal bones being excavated in western Colorado are at least 43,500 years old.

Work is winding down for the winter near Snowmass Village as crews from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science start preserving, studying and analyzing the specimens. So far, crews have found bones from two Columbian mammoths, three ancient bison, one ground sloth, five mastodons, one small salamander and an ancient deer.

The Aspen Daily News reports scientists got the first radiocarbon test results Thursday.

A worker on expansion of a reservoir unearthed the first fossils in October.

Crews plan to return to the dig site in May to continue excavating.

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Information from: Aspen Daily News, http://www.aspendailynews.com/

[Associated Press]

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