For centuries men found huge bones in the earth. At first no one knew what they were. As the years went on, men realized that they belonged to mammoths and mastodons. The discovery of these bones was a most important scientific event: it showed that ancient creatures had lived in the past, and had since become extinct. More important, because men had seen these animals, painted them on cave walls, and hunted them, scientist realized that man himself had a history that extended back further into time than anyone could have guessed. The discovery proved that man had evolved and changed as tens of thousands of years passed.
As naturalists and scientists put this great story together, it led them to the wildest and remotest corners of the earth, such as Siberia, where the famous frozen mammoth was found - well-preserved in ice.
The author captures the excitement and drama of this great worldwide search. He describes the concepts and ideas men held about the huge bones.
Any reader interested in the mammoths, mastodons, and early man will enjoy this comprehensive and interesting book.