Buzz
Fossils are the petrified remnants of ancient organisms, formed over eons as organic matter is gradually replaced by minerals. They serve as one of the most valuable tools for understanding Earth's distant past.
However, this scientific perspective is relatively recent. Throughout history, humans have discovered fossils without the knowledge of Earth's true age or the processes behind their formation. Lacking scientific explanations, people often attributed mythical or supernatural meanings to these peculiar stones. Here are ten of the most fascinating and bizarre examples of fossil folklore.
10. Toadstones
Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
–“As You Like It” by William Shakespeare
Across the globe, peculiar glossy, rounded stones have been discovered. Despite their unremarkable brown hue, these small rocks have been prized as gemstones. Known as Bufonite, their name originates from the Latin word bufo, meaning “toad.” Legend has it that these toadstones were believed to be jewels embedded in the heads of toads. Rooted in the concept of sympathetic magic—where like cures like—it was thought that these stones could ward off poison, given the toxic nature of toads.
However, the reality is that toads do not possess stones in their heads. In truth, toadstones are actually the rounded teeth of an extinct fish genus known as Lepidotes.
Individuals fearing poisoning would sometimes ingest a toadstone to harness its protective power. However, due to their high value, they were unwilling to discard it. After retrieval from the chamber pot and a thorough cleaning, the stone could be reused.
9. Thunderbolts
Belemnites, an extinct group of squid-like cephalopods, are primarily known today by their hard, cylindrical rostrum—an internal structure that supported their soft bodies. These bullet-shaped fossils are commonly found in fossil deposits across the globe.
Due to their unique shape, belemnite fossils have inspired numerous imaginative interpretations. Were they candles used by elves? Or perhaps the fingers of St. Peter? The most popular belief is that these fossils are remnants of lightning strikes, often referred to as thunderbolts, thunderstones, or thunder-arrows. They were believed to offer protection against lightning. In some regions of the Netherlands, belemnites were placed on rooftops to prevent lightning strikes, a practice that predated the invention of the lightning rod.
8. Angel Money
Nummulites are fossils of large, single-celled protozoans, shaped like tiny coins or lentils. When the Greek historian Strabo visited the pyramids, he was shown nummulites and told they were remnants of food given to the slaves who constructed the monuments. The pyramids are built from limestone rich in nummulites, and as the stone erodes, these fossils are exposed, often discovered by curious visitors.
The legends surrounding nummulites vary depending on their appearance in different regions. Where they resemble coins, they were often called angel money, St. Peter’s money, or Ladislaus’s pennies. The term “nummulite” comes from the Latin nummulus, which translates to “little coin.”
7. Snake Eggs
Sea urchins, still thriving in oceans globally and even featured in culinary dishes, have fossilized forms that were often misunderstood in the past. As members of the echinoderm family, sea urchins are covered in spines that typically detach after death, leaving behind a spherical shape marked by a distinctive five-pointed star.
Fossilized sea urchins have been utilized for a variety of purposes, from aiding bread fermentation to serving as talismans against lightning. One of the oldest surviving pieces of folklore, first mentioned by Pliny the Elder, refers to these fossils as ovum anguinum, or “snake eggs.”
In the British Isles, these so-called snake eggs were believed to form from the froth produced by mating snakes. If one could steal this frothy ball without letting it touch the ground and escape the pursuing snakes across water, it would become a potent magical artifact for protection against poison.
6. Tongue Stones
Sharks, with their cartilaginous skeletons, rarely leave behind large fossilized remains. However, their teeth are commonly preserved. Ancient sharks, such as the colossal Megalodon, left behind teeth of extraordinary size. These teeth, resembling the shape and size of a human tongue, were dubbed glossopetrae, or “tongue stones.”
These tongue stones were believed to possess magical properties capable of counteracting all forms of poison. When dipped into a beverage, they could neutralize any toxins added by an assassin. If bitten by a snake, pressing the stone against the wound was thought to cure the bite. Tongue stones were also believed to grow within rocks and even reproduce, with the smaller protrusions on shark teeth seen as offspring budding from a parent stone.
Tongue stones played a pivotal role in the emergence of paleontology. In 1666, Nicolaus Steno, working in Italy, dissected a massive shark caught by fishermen. He noticed the striking resemblance between the shark’s teeth and tongue stones, leading him to conclude that these stones were likely the teeth of ancient sharks.
5. Vishnu’s Chakras
Ammonites are among the most recognizable fossils, known for their spiral shells resembling those of nautilus-like creatures. Their unique shape makes them highly sought after by collectors. In India, however, certain ammonites hold religious significance, with the most prized specimens concealing their spiral form.
Saligrama (or “Shaligrams”) are ammonites discovered in the Gandaki Riverbed. These fossils are revered because they are believed to resemble the Sudarshana Chakra, the spiked disc weapon often depicted with the god Vishnu. The most valued shaligrams are those where only the fossil’s edge is visible within the stone’s spherical shape.
Shaligrams are commonly found in Hindu temples and are used to cleanse sins. Touching them is considered an act of devotion, and bathing in water that has held shaligrams is believed to purify one’s soul.
4. St. Hilda’s Snakes
Whitby, located in Northern England, is abundant with ammonite fossils. These fossils are so prevalent that they are even featured on the town’s coat of arms. The distinctive shape of these fossils has inspired a local legend.
In the seventh century, St. Hilda aimed to construct an abbey in Whitby as a place of worship. However, the site she chose was infested with countless adders. In a miraculous act, St. Hilda drove the snakes off a cliff, her divine power turning them to stone. As a result, ammonite fossils in Whitby became known as snakestones.
Locals capitalized on this tale by carving snake heads onto ammonite fossils and selling them as souvenirs to visitors seeking unique keepsakes.
3. Griffins
The griffin, a legendary creature, combines the body and tail of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. While such a beast is biologically impossible, this notion might be reconsidered if one were to explore the Gobi Desert.
In the desert sands, fossils of the dinosaur Protoceratops, a smaller cousin of Triceratops, can be found. Its beaked mouth and small crest make its skull strikingly similar to that of a giant eagle. Some researchers suggest that the Protoceratops skull, combined with its four-legged body, may have inspired the griffin myth. Additionally, isolated skulls could have been paired with other bones to create the image of a fantastical creature.
2. Dinosaur Footprints
For centuries, if not millennia, dinosaur footprints have captivated human imagination. The interpretation of these prints varied based on cultural folklore. In ancient Greece, they were attributed to heroes like Herakles. Native Americans believed they were made by colossal, mythical birds. In China, dinosaur tracks were associated with dragon legends and even common animals.
A study in China identified four primary folklore interpretations of dinosaur footprints. Three-toed theropod tracks were often seen as belonging to golden or celestial chickens. The heavier imprints of herbivorous dinosaurs were thought to be rhino tracks. Some viewed the prints as plant leaves, while others believed they were the footsteps of deities.
While dinosaur bones may erode or vanish over time, footprints preserved in bedrock can endure for generations, perpetuating local legends and myths.
1. Devil’s Footprints
Exploring folklore can offer significant insights for scientists. Traditional medicinal plants, used for generations, often lead to the discovery of potent new medicines. In Italy, a set of footprints, locally called Ciampate del Diavolo—“the Devil’s Footprints”—proved to be far more intriguing than their ominous name implies.
Approximately 385,000 to 325,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption blanketed the area in ash. Centuries later, locals discovered tracks preserved in this ancient ash. Knowing the extreme heat of volcanoes, they concluded that only a devil could have walked there. In 2003, paleontologists studied the prints and identified them as the oldest-known footprints made by an early human species.
