The mastodon jaw and some other bone fragments were found in late September in a backyard near Scotchtown, New York.

“When I found the teeth and examined them in my hands, I knew they were something special and decided to call in the experts,” the Orange County resident said in the NYSM’s December 17th announcement, adding that he was “thrilled” by the discovery.

A complete mastodon jaw fossil was found in the backyard of a New York home, the first discovery of its kind in over 11 years.