In the summer of 1896, repairs began on the Moscow highway in Yaroslavl, which included dismantling the old road, conducting earthworks, and laying new pavement. However, the work had to be halted when workers discovered bones of enormous size. This was reported to the authorities, and soon the news reached scientists. The paleontologists who arrived determined that these were the remains of a mammoth. The skeleton was located at a depth of 4.5 meters. Extracting the ancient giant for research at the institute proved to be a challenging task, as the bones were fragile and could easily break.

The solution was proposed by young paleontologist Maria Vasilyevna Pavlova, who led the efforts. The scientists conducted additional excavations and found several more remains. The bones were soaked in a solution of carpenter's glue, and cement was added in particularly fragile areas. The massive tusks were treated with glycerin and paraffin.

The process was labor-intensive and prolonged. Pavlova feared that the bones might be taken as souvenirs, so she demanded a night police patrol be established. However, this led to an incident: one of the policemen, bored, kicked one of the tusks with his boot, damaging its enamel coating.

By the fall of 1896, the excavations were completed. Maria Vasilyevna discovered that the remains belonged to two adult mammoths. One likely drowned after falling through the ice, while the other was brought here by the melting glacier. After processing, the bones were transported to the geological museum of Moscow University, where they became a valuable exhibit.