Берелехское кладбище мамонтов, Mammoth fossil site in Allaikhovsky District, Russia
Berelekh Mammoth Cemetery is a fossil site in northern Yakutia that preserves the remains of approximately 156 mammoths in lake sediments along the Berelekh River. The bones form one of the largest concentrations of these prehistoric animals ever discovered in a single location.
Scientific excavations began in 1970 and revealed approximately 7,500 animal bones, with 98 percent belonging to mammoths. These creatures lived in this region between 12,000 and 14,000 years ago.
The place bears traces of Dyuktai people who lived here roughly 11,000 years ago and used mammoth bones as fuel for warmth. They also crafted tools and objects from mammoth tusks during their time in this region.
The location is easiest to reach via Yakutsk or Chokurdakh village, with guided tours offered from June through August. Summer is the best time to visit as weather conditions allow safe access to the site.
Research shows that mammoths became trapped in thermokarst depressions where they fed on riverside vegetation or consumed mineral-rich clay. This process led to an extraordinary concentration of remains at a single location over extended periods.
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