A 2,200-year-old bone discovered near Córdoba, Spain, may provide the first direct archaeological evidence of war elephants used by Carthaginian general Hannibal.
A 2,200-year-old ankle bone unearthed near Córdoba, Spain, could be the first direct piece of archaeological evidence confirming the use of war elephants in combat during the time of the Carthaginian general Hannibal. Found alongside 3rd century BC Carthaginian coins, this baseball-sized bone serves as a crucial link between vivid historical accounts of the Second Punic War and concrete archaeological findings. While this particular bone does not belong to the 37 elephants famously said to have crossed the Alps in 218 BC, it presents what archaeologist Fernando Quesada Sanz refers to as a 'historical' connection to Hannibal's military campaigns and tactical blunders.
