The North Sea, located between the British Isles and the European continent, is one of the richest sites for fossilized mammal remains from the Ice Age, spanning approximately 2.5 million years. These fossils have been retrieved by so-called beam trawlers, which drag large nets across the seabed. In addition to flatfish such as sole, turbot, and plaice, these nets also capture various objects lying on or buried within the seabed.

Sometimes, these items have been there for a very long time, such as the teeth and molars of mammoths that once lived in the area when the North Sea was still dry land. Back then, the North Sea was part of savanna and steppe habitats. These fossil remains tell a fascinating story about the life on the North Sea floor, not only of animals but also of humans who once inhabited this part of Northwestern Europe.

The exhibition “The Mammoth Steppe” tells the story of this bygone era, illustrated by some truly spectacular finds.