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Scott Miller Bison Rib Bones from the Ice Age, pair #3
Extinct Ice Age Bison Rib Bones from the Pleistocene Epoch
These extinct Bison Rib Bones from the Ice Age were unearthed around 10 years ago from a peat bog in central Minnesota by paleontology researcher Patrick Cherney.
Originally acquired in 2006, I finally got around to fashioning the whole ribs into musical bones this past summer (2010).
How Do they Sound?
Bison ribs are pretty much the same as ox (cow) rib bones. Like most
large animal rib bones, they deliver a distinctly resonant tone.
Spiritually Enhanced?
Of course, some folks might say these bones embody a certain primordial spiritual quality. But mystical attributes go beyond the scope of this product description. On the other hand, if you close your eyes and sense a measure of enchanted energy radiating through these spiritually charged Ice Age bison bones...
Who Should Buy These Bones?
The best reason you might want a pair of Ice Age musical instruments is
because you think the idea of rattling a pair of extinct bison rib bones
is an intriguing experience. Well, I can tell you - it is. Are they
worth 100+ bucks a pop? Depends how you value them.
The tone they produce ain't any different from other natural rib bones.
So if you are expecting some special sound from them - forget it. Not
only that, but each pair of these extinct bison rib bones is somewhat
challenging to grip because of their clunky shape. What's more, pair #2
and #3 show open marrow along the edge which you might find a tad
scratchy.
But for shear uniqueness (not to mention the time required to acquire
the ribs, turn them into rhythm bones and prepare them for sale), the
price is quite a bargain. If your dentist made them, they would cost
around $2,000.00 per pair.
So if rattling a pair of extinct bison rib bones from The Ice Age is on your bucket list, then these bones are for you.
Pairs #1 and #2 are smaller, thinner, lighter in weight, and less resonant than pair #4. Also, pairs #1 and #2 each have a long crack in one bone which is a cool feature, but might fracture over time. The bone in pair #1 that is relatively thin & flat is kind of paddle shaped.
Pair #3 is composed of one bone made from the same whole rib as pair #2 and one bone made from the same rib as pair #4.
Pair #4 is thicker and heavier than the rest.
All the
bones feel round and bulky except for one of the bones in pair #1
which is relatively thin and flat.
My personal preference goes in reverse order. That is, my favorite pair is pair #4, followed by #3, then #2, and finally #1. All the pairs (except the paddle shaped bone) are rather round, so you might get better results using the 2-finger grip rather than the traditional American minstrel-style (1-finger) grip.
Original Whole Uncut Ribs
Pictured right are the original whole uncut bison rib bones. Pair #1 is made from the two short ribs top right. Pair #2 is made from the long dark rib on the left. Pair #3 is composed from both ribs on the left. Pair #4 comes from the longer rib, second from left. My hand gives an idea of the scale.
Original Whole Uncut Ribs w/regular ox rib
This is another view of the same group of ribs. For comparison, the white rib on the left is a regular ox (cow) rib.
Group of Finished Bison Rib Rhythm Bones
These are all the finished rhythm bones. Pair #1 is on the left, followed by pair #2, #3, and #4.
Can't Decide Which Bones to Choose? Check out this handy guide: Bone FAQs
Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)--
- Style: Semi-conical
- Length: 6-1/4" and 6-3/8"
- Width: 7/8" to 1-3/16"
- Thickness: 1/2" to 5/8"
- Weight: 3.8 oz
- Camber (arc): 28 degrees
- Filler: None
- Color: Natural bone
- Finish: Tripoli polish
- Composition: Extinct bison rib
- Age: Pleistocene Epoch, 10,000+ years
- Place of Origin: Minnesota peat bog
- Excavator: Patrick Cherney
Rescue Paleontology on the Anoka Sand Plain
The extinct Ice Age bison rib bones were unearthed by Patrick Cherney and his wife from a peat bog in an urban development site in central Minnesota during the 1980's and early 1990's. "We'd been searching the general area for fossil bison, et cetera," Pat tells us.
The couple began surveying the area in 1972 and 1973 when they discovered their first finds "along a small creek which flows near the site. These specimens were legally obtained from private land," he adds. The peat bog has since been replaced by a series of drainage ponds serving the development.
Pat recovered several animal species at the site. "Along with the Bison remains from Anoka sand plain site #1, we recovered a few scattered remains of quite a number of other types of animals, including giant beaver (Castoroides Ohioensis), wolf (Canis lupus), eastern elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis), and others."
Additional critters the couple found in the area include "Fish, mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, mollusks, and of course, a lot of plant material. We also found man-made artifacts and other evidence of human interaction with some of these bison."
You can Google Earth the dig site at these coordinates: 45 11'32.43"N 93 18'53.10"W
"That way," explains Pat, "You can get a sense of where on the Earth these creatures roamed and what changes have been wrought to the land by both nature and man from then until now."
Pat describes below how we know these specimens are indeed Ice Age Bison (Bison antiquus occidentalis).
You can't tell which Bison sub-species any particular tooth or bone belongs to by just looking at its features. As a matter of fact, except for the patina of age, bison teeth (and many of the bones) look quite similar to the those of cattle (Bos). The answer is that these specimens have a certain provenance. All of these specimens came from a single discreet site. I have detailed bio-metric data (measurements) on a number of skulls from the same site. The indications are that most, if not all of the animals unearthed, were of the sub-species occidentalis.
B. a. occidentalis has the most variable morphological characteristics of all bison species and sub-species. I have measured specimens that resemble B. bison, B. anitquus and B. priscus, and some that seem to stand on their own, LOL. I guess it depends upon whether you're a "lumper" or a "splitter," taxonomically speaking.
B. a. occidentalis is generally thought to have arisen at the end of the pleistocene, appearing by about 15 thousand years ago as a distinct sub-species, and co-existed allopatrically (more than one species living at the same time in different, although perhaps ajacent, areas) with B. a. antiquus until about 5,000 B.P., when both species became extinct and were replaced by B. b. bison and B. b. athabascae, spanning the late pleistocene/holocene border in their mere ten thousand years of existance as a discreet sub-species...
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Features
- Smooth Glossy Finish: Bones look bright and shiny and are a pleasure to touch.
- Durable Finish: Keeps looking good year after year.
- All Natural: Free from harmful chemicals. Won't chafe or irritate your skin.
- Naturally Aged: Bone dry, not greasy.
- Produces Broad Tonal Range: Play them soft or loud.
- Beveled Edges: Makes grip more comfortable.
- Extinct Bison: Rib bones excavated from Minnesota peat bog, now an urban drainage pond.
- 10,000+ Years Old: Dates from Pleistocene Epoch, so these are really "old-time" instruments.
- Extremely Rare Rhythm Bones: Among the very few musical instruments composed from Ice Age material.
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