Date: Modern era (likely late 19th century)

 

Description: This is the lower jawbone of a modern day pig, possibly a wild boar. Wild and domestic pigs are not native to the Americas, and any populations present here had to be introduced from Europe and Asia. Given the long curving tusks, this boar was likely wild as it never had the long tusks clipped or shortened. Wild boar are only commonly found in the southern reaches of the United States. It was likely brought up from the south by a hunter to the Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters for study. The Academy then donated this jawbone to the Sioux City Public Museum, back when the Museum’s main concern was natural history.

 

Donor: Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters.