From the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex to delicate ants trapped in amber, fossils provide us with valuable information about what life on Earth was like millions of years ago. But what did ancient people make of them? Often, fossilised creatures such as dinosaurs were seen as proof of the existence of mythical monsters - the griffin may derive from fossilised remains of Protoceratops, for example.
A blog post on the Heritage-Key website this week reveals that the Mayans in central America used fossils to derive accurate information about Earth's prehistoric past - in particular, the realisation that the land where they lived was once underwater. Archaeologist Martha Cuevas and geologist Jesus Alvarado carried out a 3-year study of 31 fossils found at the ancient Mayan site of Palenque, in southern Mexico. These included shark teeth, stingray spines and a variety of marine animals, dating as far back as 63 million years. The Mayans saw these fossils as highly significant, for example using them as funerary gifts, tombstones or offerings to the gods. They also painted vessels with representations of the fossils.
The researchers explain that these marine fossils were a key source for the Mayans' creation myths. The Mayans believed that their land was once covered by sea. Humanity was created when the gods ordered the water to retire, and their city emerged. When a person died, they believed that the person's spirit would return to an aquatic underworld - hence the importance of the fossils at funeral.