Play Book Tag discussion

The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times by Adrienne Mayor - 4* - My Review

The First Fossil Hunters presents a fascinating exploration of how ancient Greeks and Romans interpreted the fossil remains they discovered. The author hypothesizes that many mythological creatures, including griffins and giants, may have originated from attempts to make sense of prehistoric bones. Though Mayor is not a trained scientist, she has done extensive research combining archaeology, folklore, paleontology, and classical texts. She has discussed her findings with a number of scientists, who have assisted her in analyzing her theories. Mayor demonstrates how ancient peoples found, documented, and interpreted enormous bones of dinosaurs and other extinct animals.

I particularly enjoyed Mayor's discussion of the relationship between griffins and dinosaur fossils in Central Asia. She presents evidence that Scythian gold miners in the Gobi Desert regularly encountered the fossilized remains of Protoceratops and other dinosaurs, leading to tales of fierce creatures guarding gold deposits. I also enjoyed her analysis of the myths of giants and heroes, and how they might relate to discoveries of mammoth and other Pleistocene remains in the Mediterranean region. She cites passages from classic texts that reveal surprisingly accurate descriptions of fossil beds and prehistoric remains from well-known existing sites.

Mayor's interdisciplinary approach helps us understand how ancient civilizations made sense of their world. One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its demonstration that rational observation and mythological thinking were not mutually exclusive in antiquity but were complementary ways of explaining natural phenomena. I found it interesting to contemplate how scientific curiosity would have been expressed in ancient times. Recommended to those interested in mythology, archeology, and paleontology.