When Orange County homeowners brought what they thought was a prehistoric tooth to Orange County Community College geology professor Anthony Soricelli last fall, Soricelli admits he was skeptical. “I thought, okay, here we go, another fossil that turns out to be a rock,” Soricelli recalled.
Instead, analysis confirmed that the homeowners had unearthed the first remains of a prehistoric mastodon in their backyard. “It’s a once in a career opportunity, if that,” said Soricelli, a member of the Orange County Community College Faculty Association.
The finding was confirmed by Dr. Cory Harris, chair of the College's Behavioral Sciences Department and a professor of anthropology and sociology. Further excavation at the site produced the full jaw of a mastodon, estimated to be between 10,000 and 13,000 years old, and offered the two educators a rare experience: the chance to bring their students on a real dig.
In May, Harris and Soricelli assembled a team of 12 students for a field class at the mastodon site. The students worked in small teams, six hours a day for six weeks, searching for more skeletal remains and exploring new subjects like archaeology, paleontology, biology and geology.
Harris, with his background in archaeology, was able to introduce the students to the proper methods for excavating a site, and how to record their data.
As a geologist, Soricelli was able to show students how the county was influenced by glacial activity and how to analyze the soil to learn more about the mastodon’s life.
Another professor, Walter Jahn, explained the anatomy and physiology of the prehistoric mammal, while paleontologists from the New York State Museum rounded out their studies.
“Of course, the worry was, what if the jaw was the only thing here, and now we just have six months of digging in the dirt?” Soricelli said with a laugh.
But that’s not what happened.
The class successfully uncovered 11 intact vertebrae, including the atlas vertebrae right behind the skull, two rib bones, and numerous other fragments. They also definitively concluded that the mastodon had been found in an ancient lakebed.
“The students used critical thinking skills and what they learned about the site and the mastodon to really put together a story about it, and then we kind of edited that story as we went along,” said Harris.
The work was not always easy. Students faced challenging conditions, including sweltering temperatures, insects and mud. “We had a good group of students. They understood the magnitude of what they were working on, and they really stepped up,” Soricelli said. “I did have to let them know they were getting kind of spoiled as far as field experience goes. Not everyone is lucky enough to work on something this significant.”
Harris and Soricelli also enjoyed working together on the project. “The fact that we got to co-teach this class was tremendous,” Harris said. “So often departments work in their own little kingdoms, and so to have this class be so interdisciplinary was really a credit to the college.”
Tony Cruz, English professor and president of the Orange County Community College Faculty Association, agreed. “This is quite exciting on many levels at our institution,” said Cruz. “We are all so proud of our faculty members and their experience and expertise in this field.”
Planning has already begun for next year’s class. “We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to repeat this experience again next year,” Soricelli said.
“We absolutely know there is more out there,” Harris added.
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