Polyiconic mammoth sculpture is third such example to date from 23JP1222

Mammoth sculpture identified by Stacy Dodd, and Rod Weber, The Old Route 66 Zoo, 23JP1222

Jasper County, Missouri

Ken Johnston illustration of his interpretation of a running lion figure depicted in bas relief on the side of the mammoth sculpture. The lion and mammoth have a "shared tail."  Shared body elements like this are commonplace in polyiconic sculptures of the Stone Age. (click photos to toggle and compare)

Running lion silhouette approximates the interpreted bas relief form illustrated above

Close-up view of the lion's head (facing left)

Scholars interested in American rock art can no longer deny the presence of figure stones here and must establish a new focus on iconographic portable rock art. Archaeologists who do not bring portable rock art expertise to their multi-disciplinary teams will continue to destroy their sites and leave behind the most important information available about the pre-historic peoples they seek to learn more about.  

Mammoth sculpture 1: identified as having 2 bison images on its back and a lion head on the mammoth's trunk

 Mammoth sculpture 2: identified as having a lion glyph incorporated into its back 

Mammoth sculpture 3: featured in this article, identified as having a running lion figure on its side, sharing the tail of the mammoth as its own tail