fossil

Mammoth Tooth

Mammuthus tooth

Hardness of approximately 5 on the Mohs scale (for fossilized enamel and dentin), typically dark brown to black in color, vitreous to dull luster, composed of alternating plates of enamel, dentin, and cementum.

Identified August 1, 2026More fossil →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed during the Pleistocene epoch through permineralization, where groundwater minerals replace the original organic material of the tooth over thousands to millions of years.

Uses & applications

Used as collector items, educational specimens, and occasionally in scrimshaw or custom jewelry (when stabilized).

Geological facts

Mammoths used these highly specialized, ridged molar teeth to grind down tough grasses and tundra vegetation during the Ice Age.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by the distinctive parallel enamel ridges and plates on the chewing surface; commonly found in river gravels, eroding coastal cliffs, and permafrost regions worldwide.