Memory foam from Barrier provides cushion for 44,000-year old mammoth -
Archaeologists working near McMinnville, Oregon on August 23, 2009 made an amazing find – the second tusk of a 44,000-year-old Columbian mammoth that likely stood more than 9 feet tall and weighed one ton. T he 26-inch portion of what was once a 6-foot tusk was discovered by a team of archaeologists and volunteers led by Mike Full, an ex-police officer in the area.

The discovery included the tusk socket and was the first time both tusks from a single mammoth have been found in Oregon. Mike discovered the first tusk and tusk socket in August of 1992 near the site of the latest find. So now, 19 years later, the partial tusk and the full tusk will soon be reunited.

Barrier Corporation was proud to be part of the team, having donated the foam used to ensure safe transit for the tusk and socket. Alison T. Stenger, Director of Research at the Institute for Archaeological Studies in Portland, wrote a letter thanking Barrier for its donation of the memory foam: “The 48” length allowed us to fully support the scientific specimen as we transferred it from the excavation area to the lab.”

Memory foam is polyurethane with increased viscosity and density, providing comfort, support, protection and safety. In packaging applications, polyurethane foam is often used to protect lighter weight or delicate objects.

For Mike Full and his dig team the custom engineered foam provided excellent cushioning for the mammoth tusk and socket (see photo). “We're going to be able to plug it right back into (the) skull we've got, so we'll have virtually an intact mammoth skull,” Mike said.

		Archaeologists in Oregon unearth tusk of 22,000-year-old mammoth.