The bone that could be evidence of the mythical passage of Hannibal’s war elephant through Europe

An elephant foot bone found by archaeologists excavating in southern Spain could be evidence that a troop of elephants war devastated ancient Europe.

“Beyond ivory, the discovery of elephant remains in European archaeological contexts is exceptionally rare,” states the team of scientists in an article published in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

Often considered one of the most successful commanders of the classical era, Hannibal led his army from the powerful imperial city of Carthage, in modern-day Tunisia, towards Europe in his fight for control of the Mediterranean.

He is believed to have led soldiers and animals from Carthage through Spain and France to invade Italy, crossing the Alps with 37 elephants in 218 BC during the second of the so-called Punic Wars.

It is presumed that the remains found in Spain belong to an animal that died before reaching the Alps.

Archaeologists, led by Professor Rafael M. Martínez Sánchez, found the elephant bone under a collapsed wall at a site called Colina de los Quemados.