Prehistoric bone fragments have been unearthed during excavation work for the construction of a new metro line in Brussels. The bones found include the remains of a mammoth and of a red deer. This is not the first time prehistoric treasures have been unearthed during major excavation work in Brussels and it probably will not be the last time either.
Work on the construction of the future Metro Line 3 is in full swing. The Brussels public transport company MIVB hopes that in a few years’ time metros will take people from the north to the south of Brussels under the city centre. Meanwhile, the Brussels regional heritage agency urban.brussels is keeping an eye out for any archaeological finds during the construction work. After all, this is not the first time that major construction work has unearthed a few archaeological surprises.
A few weeks ago, the thighbone of a mammoth was found during excavation work at the site. More bones were unearthed later. Archaeozoologist Bea De Cupere of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences was the first to identify the remains. "We found a femur and a piece of tusk from a mammoth, and a bone from a wild horse. There was also an antler of a red deer, and a lower jaw. That one is probably from an Irish elk."