Re: Significant dates in dino history

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-06-22 22:46:12 EDT, macvinni@wchat.on.ca (MacVinnie)
writes:

>>1677 - First published record of a dinosaur bone (described as a giant 
>>human thigh bone)
>
>This is not true.  The first record of a dinosaur bone was between 123-72 
>B.C.E.  by Caius Suetonius Tranquillus.  This biologist and historian wrote 
>in his books of a collection of large bones being housed in the country 
>villa of Emperor Augustus.  He describes these as the remains of an extinct 
>race of humans thought to be related to the gods.  I normally wouldn't nit 
>pick like this, but ancient history is my second favourite pastime, after 
>dinosaurs of corse!

Not bad, but the Chinese have the Romans beat by a country mile. Dinosaur
bones are recorded in Chinese medical texts as old as 16th century BC. If
anyone can provide specifics--such as a title and date for the oldest such
citation--I'd be interested in hearing about it.

I don't have the paper handy, but a historian recently suggested that
_Protoceratops_ skulls weathering out of the cliffs along the Silk Road may
have been responsible for the physical appearance of the gryphon in
Babylonian mythology and iconography.