Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 12 minutes ago
According to Greek Mythology, the hero Herakles was tasked with defeating a monster called a Ketos, which had been attacking the city of Troy. This is, perhaps unsurprisingly, commonly known as "The Monster of Troy", and it is depicted on artwork from the Classical period. One of these depictions may possibly be an ancient depiction of a fossil. If that's true, then what sort of fossil is it?
SOURCES:
The 'Monster of Troy' vase: the earliest artistic record of a vertebrate fossil discovery? Mayor
Evaluation of the hypothesis of the Monster of Troy vase as the earliest record of a vertebrate fossil. Monge-Najera
According to Greek Mythology, the hero Herakles was tasked with defeating a monster called a Ketos, which had been attacking the city of Troy. This is, perhaps unsurprisingly, commonly known as "The Monster of Troy", and it is depicted on artwork from the Classical period. One of these depictions may possibly be an ancient depiction of a fossil. If that's true, then what sort of fossil is it?
SOURCES:
The 'Monster of Troy' vase: the earliest artistic record of a vertebrate fossil discovery? Mayor
Evaluation of the hypothesis of the Monster of Troy vase as the earliest record of a vertebrate fossil. Monge-Najera
