Ten-Thousand Year-Old Spear Found in Melting Ice

The melting ice near Yellowstone National Park in Colorado has yielded a piece of the past.  In 2007, researchers found a 10,000-year-old hunting weapon, a spear-like wooden dart preserved in the ice.  The discovery was kept under wraps until June 29, 2010 when it was announced by the University of Colorado.

University of Colorado research associate Craig Lee said the birch dart was frozen in a sheet of ice for 10,000 years and became bowed as the ice melted.  It resembles a bent tree branch.  He attributed the melting to increased global temperatures.  The melting has caused the release of artifacts, plant material and even animal carcasses. 

Read this article to see a photo of the spear.