One of the most widely publicized examples of fossil legends is the Central Asian ceratopsid and Protoceratops And that GriffinA mythical creature that combines the characteristics of a lion and a bird and protects gold. This earth myth was first proposed in the 1990s. Protoceratops Fossils were transported west along trade routes from the gold mines of Asia, spreading griffin lore among the ancient Greeks. ProtoceratopsBut Griffin Link finds that unconvincing.

The specific link between dinosaur fossils and the griffin myth was proposed more than 30 years ago in a series of papers and books written by folklorist Adrienne Mayolle.

these are, 1989 Cryptozoology paper Qualified'Palaeocryptozoology: A call for collaboration between classicists and cryptozoologists',and The groundbreaking book from 2000,The first fossil hunter.

This is because early ceratopsians in Mongolia and China ProtoceratopsIt was discovered by ancient nomads searching for gold in Central Asia.

story Protoceratops The bones then traveled along trade routes to the Southwest, influencing griffin stories and art.

Griffins are one of the oldest mythological creatures, first appearing in Egyptian and Middle Eastern art in the 4th millennium BC and becoming popular in Ancient Greece in the 8th century BC.

Protoceratops This is a 2-metre-long dinosaur that lived in Mongolia and northern China during the Cretaceous Period, 75 to 71 million years ago.

Like Griffin, Protoceratops It stood on all fours, had a beak, and had frill-like protrusions on its skull which some have argued could be interpreted as wings.

In the first detailed assessment of the claims, Mark Whitton of the University of Portsmouth and his colleagues looked at the historical fossil record, Protoceratops Fossils and classical sources related to griffins ProtoceratopsTo fully understand the non-traditional, fossil-based views of the griffin's origins, we consulted historians and archaeologists. Ultimately, we found that none of the arguments stood up to scrutiny.

idea Protoceratops For example, it is unlikely to be discovered by nomads searching for gold. Protoceratops Fossils have been found hundreds of kilometers away from ancient gold mines.

A century has passed since then. Protoceratops Although it was found, there have been no reports of gold buried alongside it.

Also, nomads Protoceratops Even if gold miners search for the area where the fossils were found, they will not find the skeleton.

“The hypothesis is that the dinosaur skeletons were found semi-exposed and left as if they were the remains of a recently dead animal,” Dr Whitton said.

“But generally speaking, only small parts of eroded dinosaur skeletons are visible to the naked eye and would likely go unnoticed by anyone but the most eagle-eyed fossil hunters.”

“It is almost certain that ancient peoples roaming Mongolia would have encountered it. Protoceratops. “

“We need to look further into these animals to develop a mythology, which will require us to extract fossils from the surrounding rocks.”

“Even with modern tools, adhesives, protective packaging and preparation techniques, it's no easy task.”

“probably Protoceratops The ruins have generally gone unnoticed – even though the gold miners were there and saw them.”

Similarly, the geographic spread of griffin art throughout history is not consistent with a scenario in which griffin lore originated from fossils in Central Asia and then spread westward. Protoceratops Fossils in ancient literature.

Protoceratops Its only resemblance to a griffin is that it is a quadruped with a beak. Griffin art lacks details that would suggest it was based on fossils; instead, it is clear that many griffins were modeled after features of modern cats and birds.

“Everything about the griffin's origins is consistent with the traditional interpretation that it is a mythical beast, and its appearance is perfectly explained by being a chimera between a big cat and a bird of prey,” Dr Whitton said.

“It evokes the role of dinosaurs in griffin lore, particularly species from faraway lands. Protoceratopsnot only introduces unnecessary complexity and contradictions into its origins, but also relies on interpretations and proposals that do not stand up to scrutiny.”

“It's important to distinguish between fact-based fossil folklore – links between fossils and myths that are attested to by archaeological finds or compelling references in literature and artwork – and connections that are speculative and based on intuition,” said Dr Richard Hing from the University of Portsmouth.

Team paper Published in this week's journal Interdisciplinary Science Review.

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Mark P. Whitton othersThe horned dinosaur Protoceratops Inspire Griffin? Interdisciplinary Science ReviewPublished online June 20, 2024; doi: 10.1177/03080188241255543