Roman Era Fossil Collector Unearthed in Britain’s Past

WHO:

Gizmodo - Patrick Spencer, lead author and archaeologist at Colchester Archaeological Trust in the U.K.

Phys.org - Andrew Greef, researcher involved in the 2023 discovery.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - A fossilized spinal bone of an ichthyosaur was found in a pit in Roman Britain, representing the oldest known instance of a human deliberately collecting ichthyosaur fossils.

Phys.org - The fossil was discovered around 1,800 years ago when a passerby picked it up and later dropped it in a pit.

WHERE:

Gizmodo - The discovery took place in modern-day Colchester, U.K.

Phys.org - The fossil was located on the windswept beaches of Roman Britain.

WHEN:

Gizmodo - The fossil was collected around the third quarter of the 2nd century CE.

Gizmodo - A similar discovery involving a fragment of a plesiosaur spinal bone was reported in 2023.

WHY:

Gizmodo - The individual who collected the ichthyosaur bone may have seen value in the remains, similar to the motivations behind the collection of the plesiosaur bone.

HOW:

Gizmodo - The fossils were found in a pit that suggests they were curated by someone with an interest in fossils, possibly a Roman fossil enthusiast.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 19:29 UTC)

A remarkable discovery in modern-day Colchester, U.K., has revealed a fossilized spinal bone of an ichthyosaur, marking the oldest known instance of a human intentionally collecting such fossils. This bone, which was collected around the third quarter of the 2nd century CE, was originally picked up by a passerby on the windswept beaches of Roman Britain and later dropped in a pit, indicating it may have been curated by someone with a keen interest in fossils. Researchers, including Patrick Spencer from the Colchester Archaeological Trust and Andrew Greef, highlight that this find sheds light on the motivations behind fossil collection in ancient times, similar to a recent discovery of a plesiosaur spinal bone reported in 2023.