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The Polished Stone of Mammoth Rocks

By , About.com Guide

The large, isolated rock bodies near Shell Beach, in Sonoma County, California, display curious polished patches. These closely resemble polish typical of that made today by elephants, cows and other large animals that rub their skins against large rocks and trees. Here is a closer look at the evidence for and the thinking behind the hypothesis that the polish was created by Pleistocene mammoths.
Images 1-12 of 12
Frame of the pictureThe Pleistocene PlatformWhy there are stacksSunset RocksA long talk, a wild surmiseThe Strange Rock PolishAnimal buffingThe Polish at Close Range
Lanolin possibilitiesPatches of PolishAn exact analog from historic timeModern Polish on a Bison Rubbing RockRock and dust wallow, ready for useBison Rubbing Rock, Calgary, AlbertaA highly placed clincherEvidence of Mammoths
Possibilities for further researchThe State of Mammoth RocksA ragged surfaceThe Other StackAnother more colorful polishThe Chert StackA cheaper alternativePolished Chert
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