Life-size woolly mammoth sculpture
Approximately 330 cm tall
This life-size sculpture is a very realistic reconstruction of the woolly mammoth. Its huge tusks are actually cast from the famous Jarkov mammoth found in 1997 on the permafrost plains of Siberia. It is displayed next to a composed mammoth skeleton at the museum Historyland in Hellevoetsluis. To create this scientifically accurate sculpture, the skeleton was used as a reference. Paleontologist Dick “sir mammoth”Mol, was appointed to approve the model paleontologically.
Firstly lots of drawings were made to make the anatomical reconstruction. Secondly, a scale model was made. For the full-size model, the head and legs were carved out of Polyurethane foam blocks. A metal frame was welded for the construction of the body. It consists of two sections so it could be disassembled. This was necessary to make the model fit into the museum. Polyester and fiberglass were used to create a solid base. To finish the sculpture artistically epoxy sculpt was used. Faux fur combined with wool hair was used to create a natural pelt.
The Woolly mammoth was an iconic mammal. It represented the Pleistocene era as the pinnacle of the mega beasts. They lived alongside the other megafauna. For example Smilodon, cave bears, sloths, Megaloceros, and many others. Our early ancestors hunted the woolly mammoths. They made cave paintings for us to see thousands of years later. It seems early men had the urge to express artistically. Like humans today.