In response to a recent article highlighting the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles as the 'only urban, active ice age excavation site in the world,' Professor Martin K Jones of Cambridge has challenged this claim, pointing to numerous ongoing excavations in major cities worldwide.
Global Urban Excavations
Professor Jones notes that cities such as London, Paris, Rome, Istanbul, and Xi'an are also home to active ice age excavation sites that continue to shed light on stone age life. He emphasizes that the past is all around us, and new discoveries are emerging from many localities.
Example from Rome
As a prime example, Jones cites recent excavations at Casal Lumbroso in Rome, where archaeologists uncovered a remarkable scene: the carcass of a now-extinct straight-tusked elephant being butchered with carefully fashioned stone tools. This discovery provides a vivid snapshot of ancient human activity.
The letter, published in the Guardian, underscores that La Brea, while significant, is not unique. Urban environments across the globe hold hidden archaeological treasures that are continually reshaping our understanding of prehistoric life.
