The Zhenya Mammoth - Taphonomy, Geology, Age, Morphology and Ancient DNA

Aug 23, 2026

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This paper reports the results of an in-depth analysis of the frozen remains of a woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) named Zhenya, dated to 48,000 cal BP. The carcass, found near the mouth of the Yenisey River in eastern Siberia, is a juvenile male with an estimated ontogenetic age at death of 8–10 AEY. Reconstructed shoulder height is comparable to some adult females and extant elephants, with evidence suggesting sexual maturity and likely involvement in male-male conflict.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Article Information

Publication details and authors

Keywords and research focus

Abstract

Specimen overview and dating

Morphology, stature, and behavioral inferences

Skeletal health and dental development

University of Groningen The Zhenya Mammoth ( Mammuthus primigenius (Blum.)): Taphonomy, geology, age, morphology and ancient DNA of a 48,000 year old frozen mummy from western Taimyr, Russia Maschenko, Evgeny N. ; Potapova, Olga R. ; Vershinina, Alisa; Shapiro, Beth; Streletskaya, Irina D. ; Vasiliev, Alexander A. ; Oblogov, Gleb E. ; Kharlamova, Anastasia S. ; Potapov, Eugene; van der Plicht, J. Published in: Quaternary International DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2017.06.055 IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2017 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Maschenko, E. N. , Potapova, O. R. , Vershinina, A. , Shapiro, B. , Streletskaya, I. D. , Vasiliev, A. A. , Oblogov, G. E. , Kharlamova, A. S. , Potapov, E. , van der Plicht, J. , Tikhonov, A. N. , Serdyuk, N. V. , & Tarasenko, K. K. (2017) . The Zhenya Mammoth ( Mammuthus primigenius (Blum.)): Taphonomy, geology, age, morphology and ancient DNA of a 48,000 year old frozen mummy from western Taimyr, Russia. Quaternary International, 445, 104-134 . [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.06.055](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.06.055) Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons) . The publication may also be distributed here under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license. More information can be found on the University of Groningen website: [https://www.rug.nl/library/open-access/self-archiving-pure/taverne](https://www.rug.nl/library/open-access/self-archiving-pure/taverne)amendment. Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/U MCG research database (Pure): [http://www.rug. nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the](http://www.rug. nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the)[ ](http://www.rug. nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the)[number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.](number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.) Download date: 23-08-2026 Quaternary International 445 (2017) 104e134 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary International journal [homepage:](homepage: www. elsevier. com/locate/quaint)[ www. elsevier. com/locate/quaint](homepage: www. elsevier. com/locate/quaint) | The Zhenya Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius (Blum. )): Taphonomy, geology, age, morphology and ancient DNA of a 48,000 year old frozen mummy from western Taimyr, Russia
Evgeny N. Maschenko a, Olga R. Potapova b, *, Alisa Vershinina c, Beth Shapiro d,
Irina D. Streletskaya e, Alexander A. Vasiliev f, Gleb E. Oblogov f, Anastasia S. Kharlamova g, Eugene Potapov h, J. van der Plicht i, Alexey N. Tikhonov j, Natalia V. Serdyuk a, Konstantin K. Tarasenko a
a Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of the Sciences (PIN RAS), 123 Profsoyuznaia, 117 997 Moscow, Russia b Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, SD., Inc., 1800 Hwy 18 Bypass, Hot Springs, SD 57747, USA
c Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
d Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA e Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), Department of Geography, Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia
f Institute of the Earth Cryosphere, Siberian Bra

FAQs

What mammoth specimen is analyzed, and what is its age?

The study analyzes a woolly mammoth named Zhenya (Mammuthus primigenius) dated to 48,000 cal BP.

Where was the specimen discovered and what is its sex and ontogenetic age at death?

The carcass was found near the mouth of the Yenisey River in eastern Siberia; it is described as a juvenile male with ontogenetic age at death of 8–10 AEY.

What lines of evidence are used to infer possible maturity and conflict behavior?

The paper points to body size and a tusk-tip break pattern resembling breaks on male African elephants as indirect indications of sexual maturity and likely involvement in at least one fight with another male.

Aug 23, 2026

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