Roman Pit Yields 1,800-Year-Old Ichthyosaur Fossil, Earliest Known Human Collection
Updated
Updated · Gizmodo · Jul 8
Roman Pit Yields 1,800-Year-Old Ichthyosaur Fossil, Earliest Known Human Collection
2 articles · Updated · Gizmodo · Jul 8
Summary
A Roman-era pit in Colchester contained an ichthyosaur vertebra deliberately kept with pottery, toilet spoons and other objects, making it the oldest known case of a human collecting that fossil.
The deposit dates to the third quarter of the 2nd century CE, pushing the timeline of recorded human interest in ichthyosaurs back from 1699 by roughly 1,500 years.
Researchers said the fossil’s purpose remains unclear, though its strong preservation suggests the collector valued it; the area was a Roman greensand quarry, raising the possibility it was found during stone work.
A 2023 report described a Roman pit with a plesiosaur vertebra fragment nearby, hinting that fossil collecting may have been more common in Roman Britain, even if people likely saw the finds as curious objects rather than scientific specimens.