8,000-Year-Old Relics Discovered in a 750-Pound Gator in Mississippi
The origin of these artifacts inside the gator remains a mystery.
Shane Smith, the owner of Red Antler Processing in Yazoo City, Mississippi, had heard stories of large gators consuming strange objects. One such tale involved metal dog tags found in an old gator’s stomach, believed to be from deer hounds that approached the water’s edge.
On Sept. 10, hunters brought two Mississippi gators to Smith for processing. During his examination of a massive 13-foot, 5-inch, 750-pound gator, Smith discovered what seemed to be a broken stone arrowhead and a heavy tear-drop shaped object, which he initially mistook for a lead weight, according to a report in the Jackson, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger.
After consulting an expert and showing them a photo of the objects, Smith was astonished by what he learned.
“That’s an atlatl dart point,” said James Starnes, director of Surface Geology and Mapping for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The point was estimated to have been made between 5,000 to 6,000 B.C.
An atlatl is a primitive weapon that employs a lever made of wood to increase the velocity of a spear.
In addition to the atlatl dart point, Smith found a plummet inside the gator.
The object that Smith initially mistook for a lead weight turned out to be a plummet, according to Starnes. It is approximately 3,800 years old. The purpose of plummets in ancient times remains unclear. They are made of hematite, an iron oxide, and possess a weight similar to lead. Smith also examined the stomach contents of another 13-foot, 2-inch gator weighing 787 pounds.
“We discovered a bullet in it, but it had not been discharged from a firearm,” Smith said. “I have no idea how it ended up there.”
Gators unintentionally consume unusual items that dwell at the bottom of rivers, ponds, and sloughs, where they have resided for years.
“Alligators are known to ingest grit and rocks to aid in digestion,” explained Ricky Flynt, coordinator of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Alligator Program. “This is true for both alligators and crocodiles.”
Gators ingest stones and other debris found in lake beds, which remain in their stomachs to assist with food mashing.
“Sticks, wood, and indigestible objects find their way into their stomachs,” Flynt remarked. “I once found a 15-inch long piece of cypress in an alligator’s stomach.”
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.