Mary Ann Mantell
Mary Ann Mantell | |
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Born | Mary Ann Woodhouse April 9th, 1795 Paddington, London, United Kingdom |
Died | October 20th, 1869 |
Occupation | Palaeontologist |
Known for | Discovering Iguanodon |
Spouse | Gideon Mantell |
Relatives | Walter Mantell (son) George Edward Woodhouse (father) Mary Ann Woodhouse (mother) |
Mary Ann Rochell (née Woodhouse; April 9, 1795[1] – October 20, 1869[2]) was a British paleontologist. She is credited with the discovery of the first fossils of Iguanodon and provided several pen and ink sketches of the fossils for her husband, Gideon Mantell's, scientific description of the Iguanodon.[3]
Iguanodon discovery
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Fossils_of_the_South_Downs_plate_31.jpg/220px-Fossils_of_the_South_Downs_plate_31.jpg)
In 1822, while Mary Ann Mantell was accompanying her husband in Sussex as he was visiting a patient, she discovered large tooth-shaped fossils on the side of the road. She presented these fossils to him. Her husband then proceeded to send Mary’s fossils via Charles Lyell who brought them to Georges Cuvier, who initially told Lyell he thought the teeth were from a rhinoceros; he retracted that statement the very next day but all Lyell reported to the Mantells was Cuvier's initial dismissal of their discovery.[4][5][circular reference]
In 1824, William Buckland visited the Mantells and examined the fossil teeth; he concluded that they were from a giant saurian. This encouraged the Mantells to send the fossils to Cuvier for another examination; Cuvier responded to the Mantells on 22 June 1824.[6][circular reference]
The most important remarks in Cuvier's response to Gideon Mantell were included in Mantell's paper published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London in 1825. Cuvier had written "These teeth are certainly unknown to me; they are not [from] a carnivorous animal, and yet I believe that they belong, given their little complication, their serrating on the edges, and the thin layer of enamel that revet them, to the order of the reptiles. The outside appearance could also be taken for fish teeth similar to tetrodons, or diodons; but their internal structure is very different from those of [that type]. Wouldn't we have a new animal here, a herbivorous reptile?"[7] Cuvier had also pointed out in his letter to Mantell that "it is impossible that one day a part of the reunited skeleton will not be found with portions of jaws bearing teeth. It is this last object above all that it is a matter of searching with the most perseverance."[ibid.] Mantell launched an excavation of the Tilgate Forest, which resulted in the discovery of the herbivorous reptile, the Iguanodon.[3][8] The discovery of this fossil is known to be the first evidence of a prehistoric reptilian dinosaur, dating back roughly 130 million years ago.[9]
Impact on Paleontology
Mary Ann Mantell drew up 364[1] fine lithographs of the fossils, that were then used in her husband's scientific publication The Fossils of the South Downs[2] published in 1822, and in Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex published in 1827, in which Gideon Mantell describes the Iguanodon, thus named due to its likeness to the modern day Iguana.[3][8] The discovery of the Iguanodon caused excitement amongst paleontologists it was the second largest reptile fossil to be discovered and the teeth of the Iguanodon suggested that the large reptile was an herbivore; whilst many believed that all ancestors of reptiles were carnivores, like the Megalosaurus,[10] discovered by William Buckland, in 1676.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/C0289496-Discovery_of_Iguanodon_fossil_teeth%2C_1825.jpg/256px-C0289496-Discovery_of_Iguanodon_fossil_teeth%2C_1825.jpg)
Family life
Mary Ann Woodhouse was born on April 9, 1795 to George Edward Woodhouse and Mary Ann Woodhouse.[11] In 1816 she married Gideon Mantell and lived with him in Lewes. She accompanied Mantell on his fossil collection trips. Although the couple became a coherent research team, their personal lives suffered and the pair became increasingly distant causing their marriage to end in divorce. They had three children together, including prominent New Zealand scientist and politician Walter Mantell.[12] Gideon was the primary caretaker of the children after the divorce was finalized; he died in 1852 of an opium overdose.[13]
References
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- ^ BUREK, C. V. & HIGGS, B. (eds) The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8. DOI: 10.1144/SP281.1.
- ^ "England and Wales National Probate Calendar 1858-1966]".
- ^ a b c "Dinosaur History". Brooklyn College City University of New York. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
- ^ BUREK, C. V. & HIGGS, B. (eds) The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8. DOI: 10.1144/SP281.1.
- ^ "Iguanodon". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
On 23 June 1823 Charles Lyell showed some to Georges Cuvier, during a soiree in Paris, but the famous French naturalist at once dismissed them as those of a rhinoceros. Though the very next day Cuvier retracted, Lyell reported only the dismissal to Mantell
- ^ "Iguanodon". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
In 1824 Buckland described Megalosaurus and was on that occasion invited to visit Mantell's collection. Seeing the bones on 6 March he agreed that these were of some giant saurian—though still denying it was a herbivore. Emboldened nevertheless, Mantell again sent some teeth to Cuvier, who answered on 22 June 1824 that he had determined that they were reptilian and quite possibly belonged to a giant herbivore.
- ^ Mantell, Gideon (10 February 1825). "Notice on the Iguanodon, a newly discovered fossil, from the sandstone of Tilgate, in Sussex. By Gideon Mantell, F. L. S. and M. G. S. Fellow of the College of Surgeons, In a Letter to Davies Gilbert, Esq. M. P. V. P. R. S. &c. &c. &c. Communicated by D. Gilbert, Esq". Royal Society Publishing. Royal Society of London. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
As these teeth were distinct from any that had previously come under my notice, I felt anxious to submit them to the examination of persons whose knowledge and means of observation were more extensive than my own; I therefore transmitted specimens to some of the most eminent naturalists in this country, and on the continent. But although my communications were acknowledged with that candour and liberality which constantly characterises the intercourse of scientific men, yet no light was thrown upon the subject, except by the illustrious Baron Cuvier, whose opinions will best appear by the following extract from the correspondence with which he honoured me.
- ^ a b Mantell, Gideon (1827). Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex. London: Lupton Relfe. pp. 71–78 – via Books.Google.
- ^ "Female fossil hunters: Mary Ann Mantell, Mary Anning, and Joan Wiffen". Te Papa’s Blog. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/geology/chamber/mantell.html
- ^ Turner, Susan; Burek, Cynthia V.; Moody, Richard T. J. (2010). "Forgotten women in an extinct saurian (man's) world". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 343 (1): 111–153. Bibcode:2010GSLSP.343..111T. doi:10.1144/sp343.7. ISSN 0305-8719. S2CID 130338204.
- ^ The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science: L-Z. Taylor & Francis. 2000. p. 837. ISBN 041592040X.
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ignored (help) - ^ BUREK, C. V. & HIGGS, B. (eds) The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8. DOI: 10.1144/SP281.1.
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- ^ "The Discovery of the Iguanodon". Natural History Museum. Retrieved 16 December 2020.