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Ancient Romans likely used extinct sea creature fossils as amulets

At the Roman settlement of A Cibdá de Armea in northwestern Spain, archaeologists uncovered evidence suggesting that ancient Romans adorned their amulets with fossils of extinct marine arthropods, like trilobites, possibly rooted in the belief that these specimens carried magical or protective powers.

Dated to between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE, the discovered trilobite fossil holds several remarkable distinctions: it is the first ever confirmed from Roman times, one of only three known worldwide to have been deliberately collected and used by humans over a thousand years ago, and the eleventh trilobite ever found in an archaeological context.

The Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences that the fossil showed clear signs of intentional modifications made to be worn as a pendant or bracelet.

The trilobite fossil has unique taphonomic markers—clues that tell us how and where it was preserved over time. Researchers found the fossil preserved as a natural cast mineralized with iron oxide, giving it a distinctive reddish hue—evidence of deep weathering similar to that seen in specimens from the southern Central Iberian Zone, located approximately 430 kilometers from the discovery site. This considerable distance points to intentional transport by the ancient Romans.

The trilobite was unearthed in the same archaeological layer as a bronze coin of Emperor Augustus, which isn't surprising as it aligns with historical accounts describing Augustus's fascination with fossils during the Roman era.

According to the historian Suetonius, Augustus was an avid collector who not only imported fossils from Greece but also personally excavated them on the island of Capri. He is also credited with creating one of the first known paleontological museums at his villa, where he displayed the bones of ancient giants and monsters, which we call fossils.

The researchers identified the trilobite as Colpocoryphe sp., based on its segmented exoskeleton, two longitudinal furrows, two smooth pleural fields (chest lobes) on either side of the tail section, and the proportional width of the rachis—the central lobe running down the middle of the body.

The researchers did not find any holes or perforations in the fossil that would have been required to turn it into a personal ornament. However, they hypothesize that the trilobite could still have been worn as jewelry, probably set using a crimp or embedded in metal like gold or silver.

Microscopic examination and high-contrast photographs of the fossil revealed human-made modifications, such as seven artificial facets on the left and underside of the specimen, which were likely created to flatten the fossil for use within a pendant or bracelet.

This study demonstrates how a single artifact, unearthed from the past, can act as a window into the lives and beliefs of ancient civilizations.