PBS: Nova-Ice Age Death Trap

[CMD]

I saw it the other night as well. Just noticed you can now watch it online:

NOVA | Ice Age Death Trap

[Tdog]

Great summary wiseshanks. Thanks. I watched it last night.

[grovestone]

It sure would be cool if they got to the middle of that cast and found some strange bad a_s lithics we have never seen before.

[fishingandfirearms]

Originally Posted by drdave514

It decays at a lower rate due to enzymes in the water and was a common practice, according to the show.

If you bury it, animals will dig it up. If you dry it, you have to carry and defend it. 4000 pounds of meat dehydrated is still a heck of a lot of meat.

The slower decay rates seem logical, but were there no under water scavangers in those times? Catfish, turtles, and snails?

[wiseshanks]

Originally Posted by fishingandfirearms

The slower decay rates seem logical, but were there no under water scavangers in those times? Catfish, turtles, and snails?

Yes. But I'm sure in colder weather those animals wouldn't affect such a large kill.

[drdave514]

I wasn't really familiar with it myself but one of the Archies on site was some "foremost expert" on the subject and made it sound like a common occurence. I'd imagine the food lost would be less to turtles than to saber tooth tigers and dire wolves.

[fishingandfirearms]

Originally Posted by drdave514

I wasn't really familiar with it myself but one of the Archies on site was some "foremost expert" on the subject and made it sound like a common occurence. I'd imagine the food lost would be less to turtles than to saber tooth tigers and dire wolves.

Good point.

[ApacheNDN]

Creeks in that part of the world, especially during the last ice age, make a great natural refrigerator. Add to the fact that the water would mask the smell of a free dinner for other predators.

[rokdok]

A find of this possible magnitude, and they can't stop a construction project long enough to carefully excavate it? Why?

[fishingandfirearms]

Originally Posted by rokdok

A find of this possible magnitude, and they can't stop a construction project long enough to carefully excavate it? Why?

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