Elephant by Ito JakuchuTokyo Fuji Art Museum
They say an elephant never forgets, which is impressive considering their rich evolutionary past!
The largest animal with whom we share dry land has evolved through many fascinating stages over the millennia. Scroll on to discover the origin of the species, and the steps that gave us our present-day friend, and how humans have depicted elephants through the ages.
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1. Early Ancestors
Elephants and their direct relatives belong to the order Proboscidea, which dates back to approximately 60 million years ago! Here at the American Museum of Natural history, you can explore the development of these magnificent creatures. Click to look around!
Mastodon skeleton (1840)The Natural History Museum
2. Mastodons
After millions of years of evolution, the early proboscideans began to look more like the elephants we know today. The American mastodon lived from about 5 million years ago until its extinction approximately 10,000 years ago.
Mastodons, along with many other large species of mammals, were likely hunted to extinction after the end of the last ice age.
Middle Palaeolithic paleoenvironment illustration (21st century) by Mauricio AntónNational Museum and Research Centre of Altamira
3. Wooly Mammoths
Wooly mammoths lived during much of the same era as mastodons, overlapping with humans for dozens of millennia until their relatively recent extinction. The video below explores the possible reasons this species died out.
The last of the mammoths by Prof Adrian ListerThe Natural History Museum
Sarcophagus with the Triumph of Dionysus (ca. 190 (Imperial)) by RomanThe Walters Art Museum
4. Elephant Sculptures
For as long as humans have coexisted with elephants, we have made art featuring the massive mammals. This Roman sarcophagus, featuring an exquisite elephant, depicts god of wine Bacchus’ mythical conquest of India. It was carved around 190 CE.
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Angkor Thom, a walled city in what is now Cambodia, features these elephant sculptures overlooking the entrance to the palace of 12th-century Khmer king Jayavarman VII.
An Elephant, 1637 (1637) by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van RijnAlbertina Museum
5. Rembrandt’s Elephants
Although the Dutch master is typically known for his intricate paintings, Rembrandt also had a fondness for drawing elephants. This series was sketched in 1637.
An Elephant (1637) by Rembrandt van RijnBritish Museum
The elephant in these sketches was a famous performing elephant named Hansken, who toured Europe in the 17th century.
Two Elephants (1940) by Amrita Sher-GilNational Gallery of Modern Art
6. Amrita Sher-GIl’s ‘Two Elephants’
Elephants are incredibly intelligent creatures, with the capacity to communicate, make art, use tools, and solve complex problems. They even mourn lost loved ones and practice funerary rituals.
This 1940 oil painting, ‘Two Elephants,’ is by Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil.
Love between orphan elephants by Santi Nietothe United Nations
7. ‘Love Between Orphan Elephants’
Poaching for ivory and destruction of habitats have placed this beautiful creature in danger of extinction. Like the mammoth, elephants’ environments are already changing, and it’s our responsibility to conserve natural resources to ensure the animals survive.
Engraved horses and mammoths (2011-11-28) by CBH SARLGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
8. Chauvet Cave in 3D
Click here to see the 3D view of a mammoth carving at Chauvet. To learn more about conservation of endangered species, check out The Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute.
