This species feeds all our fantasies about prehistoric times, especially after experiencing the adventures of the characters in the Ice Age movie saga . Our collective unconscious would have us believe that it only existed in the eternal snows of the North Pole, yet it was in Lyon that it was discovered 167 years ago.
The Choulans Mammoth, Lyon’s first known inhabitant…
He walked the streets of Lyon when the city was not yet known as the capital of Gaul, let alone the capital of gastronomy. No, none of that. At that time, there was not a soul in Lyon… only large pachyderms weighing several tons that could withstand the cold. Because at that time, Lyon was covered by an XXL glacier and its moraine (rock debris). It was not far from here that the Gros Caillou decided to take a little break 140,000 years ago. Only 20,000 years separate these two… Perhaps one day the mammoth stopped not far from the Gros Caillou to have a bite to eat? Who knows…
It wasn’t until 1859 that Claude Jourdan, a zoologist and paleontologist, discovered “the beast” on the Choulans hill, near Rue des Trois-Artichauts, which was then still considered part of the suburbs of Lyon. It was also at this same time (1861) that Gros Caillou resurfaced during the construction of the funicular railway. These two were definitely always together!
At that time, Lyon was in the midst of the industrial revolution, the loom invented by Lyon native Joseph-Marie Jacquard was running at full speed, and photography, invented an hour north of Lyon, was still in its infancy… Also, to put it into context with an even more tangible element,the legendary Brasserie Georges had already opened its doors…
Returning to the mammoth, its discovery was huge (in every sense of the word)! At that time, only two other mammoths were on display in Europe (in Brussels and Saint Petersburg). It was presented as one of the most complete skeletons in the world.
The Mammoth and its famous tusks
©Wikipedia
The Choulans Mammoth is the oldest known species in Lyon, which instantly made it a symbol. The elder now rests in the Musée des Confluences after being moved several times from one place to another, having lived through more adventures than necessary. It was even exhibited for several decades with its tusks mounted upside down!
The fact that the skeleton is not complete today or that the tusks were mounted in a zigzag pattern for a long time in no way alters the image of the Choulans Mammoth. 1859–2026: 167 years of fame may seem like a long time , but on a prehistoric scale, the Mammoth is still in its infancy. We can only wish it good luck for the next 120,000 years!