Bones = buried treasure in TN backyard

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (CNN/WSMV) - A buried treasure of sorts has been found in a Tennessee man's backyard.

Archaeologists and Middle Tennessee State University students believe the remains of a mastodon are behind a Franklin home, about 20 miles south of Nashville.

Mastodons are prehistoric, elephant-like creatures, believed to have weighed up to 12,000 pounds.

But bones aren't the only thing the team has found. They also discovered what appear to be tools belonging to prehistoric humans. And one archaeologist say that makes the team's find even more important.

"It's absolutely exciting. There are very few instances of prehistoric peoples having hunted ice age elephants anywhere in North America, let alone here in Tennessee. This is one of less than five finds on this side of the Mississippi River where you have direct evidence of that sort of interaction," said Aaron Deter-Wolf, prehistorical archaeologist.

Technically, the owner of the property owns the artifacts but he is letting researchers do their work.

Archeologists say if they can get the findings confirmed, they hope to designate the site on the National Register of Historic Places.