The Jurassic Coast and Mary Anning

I just visited the Jurassic Coast, where the original fossil hunter Mary Anning discovered her famous fossils. This is a video of where she lived, some of her finds and the Jurassic Coast where she made her discoveries.

Mary Anning (21 May 1799 – 9 March 1847) was an English fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist, who took over the fossil hunting business from her father after his death . She became known internationally for her discoveries in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs along the English Channel at Lyme Regis in the county of Dorset, Southwest England. Anning’s findings contributed to changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life and the history of the Earth.

Anning searched for fossils in the area’s Blue Lias and Charmouth Mudstone cliffs, particularly during the winter months when landslides exposed new fossils that had to be collected quickly before they were lost to the sea. Her discoveries included the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton when she was twelve years old, which her brother first discovered and Mary completely revealed; the first two nearly complete plesiosaur skeletons; the first pterosaur skeleton located outside Germany; and fish fossils. Her observations played a key role in the discovery that coprolites, known as bezoar stones at the time, were fossilised faeces, and she also discovered that belemnite fossils contained fossilised ink sacs like those of modern cephalopods.

Charmouth Beach where Mary Anning did her digging.

A renowned palaeontologist in Britain, Europe, and the US, she was frequently consulted on anatomy and fossils. Despite her expertise, being a woman prevented her from publishing or joining the Geological Society of London. Her contributions were often overlooked, even by those who benefited from her findings.

In the video you can see one of her letters to palaeontologist William Buckland, describing the first ever complete plesiosaur fossil with a pretty accurate drawing and details. She wrote to other Palaeotologists as well. Here is a letter she wrote to geologist Charlotte Murchison regarding one of her icthyosaur fossils. Here is a letter she wrote to geologist Charlotte Murchison regarding one of her icthyosaur fossils

Read more about Mary’s life here Mary Anning the Original Fossil Hunter

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Saima Baig

I am a Chartered Environmentalist from the Royal Society for the Environment, UK and co-owner of DoLocal Digital Marketing Agency Ltd, with a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University, an MBA in Finance, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics. I am passionate about science, history and environment and love to create content on these topics.