Fishermen find horn from first animals ever recorded extinct

Fishermen have found a horn from the first animals ever recorded extinct - which experts believe might be over 5,000 years old. Brothers Martin and Richard Morgan discovered the 70cm (27in) auroch's horn in the estuary of the River Severn.They were a species of large wild cattle that inhabited Asia, Europe, and North Africa and are the ancestor of domestic cattle. Their horns were so large vikings drank ale from them and they were last recorded in the 17th century.They last disappeared from Poland - and were the first official extinct creature.But experts say they were only found in the Severn up to the middle Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1200 BC.Martin and Richard were inspecting a site near the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge at low tide when they stumbled across the 3kg relic.The horn came from an aurochs - 2m (6ft 6in) tall grazing cattle which once roamed England.The net fishermen were inspecting a site during low tide on the estuary when they spotted the large mass sticking out of the sand.Retired steelworker Martin, 59, said: "We found the horn about a week ago after those unusual summer storms kicked up the sandbanks along the Severn estuary."We normally find bits of shipwreck along the shore and we've developed an eye for spotting unusual things."From a distance, we thought it was a bit of wood and then as we got closer, it appeared to be some kind of bone."Richard is a bit more knowledgable on this kind of stuff and he got on his knees and told me it looked to be a horn."The aurochs horn was found up just off the coast of Sudbrook, Monmouthshire on May 25.They carefully carried it back to their boats which were moored two miles away before excitedly sharing images with the fishing community.The Morgans were delighted when archaeological scientist Professor Martin Bell confirmed the horn did indeed belong to aurochs.He said they were known to have wandered in the nearby forests and the horn is probably 5,000 to 6,000 years old.Prof. Bell, who teaches at the University of Reading, said: "It's clearly well-preserved and an exciting find."It looks like it's from a fully grown adult and it's clearly well preserved so we're hoping to go and carbon date it, when I can travel again."The University of Reading said up to the middle Bronze Age the now extinct aurochs roamed the Severn Estuary wetlands.Martin said: "We were over the moon, it's a once in a lifetime discovery and we only found it by chance that we wandered there and then, it could have been gone again the next day."We've walked this ground hundreds of times and my family have been fishing here for 100 years but we've found nothing of great significance."We've got it in a barrel of water but we definitely don't want it to be hidden away for the long run, we'd like people to be able to see it, maybe in a museum - it's just incredible.''

Fishermen have found a horn from the first animals ever recorded extinct - which experts believe might be over 5,000 years old.

Brothers Martin and Richard Morgan discovered the 70cm (27in) auroch's horn in the estuary of the River Severn.They were a species of large wild cattle that inhabited Asia, Europe, and North Africa and are the ancestor of domestic cattle.

Their horns were so large vikings drank ale from them and they were last recorded in the 17th century.They last disappeared from Poland - and were the first official extinct creature.But experts say they were only found in the Severn up to the middle Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1200 BC.Martin and Richard were inspecting a site near the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge at low tide when they stumbled across the 3kg relic.The horn came from an aurochs - 2m (6ft 6in) tall grazing cattle which once roamed England.The net fishermen were inspecting a site during low tide on the estuary when they spotted the large mass sticking out of the sand.Retired steelworker Martin, 59, said: "We found the horn about a week ago after those unusual summer storms kicked up the sandbanks along the Severn estuary."We normally find bits of shipwreck along the shore and we've developed an eye for spotting unusual things."From a distance, we thought it was a bit of wood and then as we got closer, it appeared to be some kind of bone."Richard is a bit more knowledgable on this kind of stuff and he got on his knees and told me it looked to be a horn."The aurochs horn was found up just off the coast of Sudbrook, Monmouthshire on May 25.They carefully carried it back to their boats which were moored two miles away before excitedly sharing images with the fishing community.The Morgans were delighted when archaeological scientist Professor Martin Bell confirmed the horn did indeed belong to aurochs.He said they were known to have wandered in the nearby forests and the horn is probably 5,000 to 6,000 years old.Prof. Bell, who teaches at the University of Reading, said: "It's clearly well-preserved and an exciting find."It looks like it's from a fully grown adult and it's clearly well preserved so we're hoping to go and carbon date it, when I can travel again."The University of Reading said up to the middle Bronze Age the now extinct aurochs roamed the Severn Estuary wetlands.Martin said: "We were over the moon, it's a once in a lifetime discovery and we only found it by chance that we wandered there and then, it could have been gone again the next day."We've walked this ground hundreds of times and my family have been fishing here for 100 years but we've found nothing of great significance."We've got it in a barrel of water but we definitely don't want it to be hidden away for the long run, we'd like people to be able to see it, maybe in a museum - it's just incredible.''