The History of Fossils Over Centuries (eBook)

This book discusses the history of invertebrate fossil understanding and classification by exploring fossil studies between the 15th and 18th centuries. Before the modern age, the understanding of fossil findings went through several phases. The treatment by philologists, philosophers and historians of natural sciences involved religious, sometimes folkloristic, aspects before scientific ones. This work showcases and assesses these original findings by carrying out a bibliographical, and above all iconographical research, aimed at finding the first printed images of the objects that we now know as fossils. From here, the authors provide an understanding of the true nature of fossils by analyzing them through modern academic viewpoints, and describing each fossil group from a paleontological and taxonomic point of view, retracing their treatment in the course of the centuries.

Maurizio Forli (Rosignano M.mo, Leghorn, 1954). Interested since childhood in natural sciences, with preferences for paleontology and malacology. Various graphic and artistic experiences. Curator of the organization and preparation of numerous expositions, conventions and initiatives of scientific disseminations, he has published at the moment, over forty scientific articles of fossil malacology and numerous others on handouts catalogs and magazines. Co-author of books on the Italian Plio-Pleistocene malacofauna, particularly from Tuscany, has recently published with Andrea Guerrini 'Storia Naturale della Toscana' and with another co-author 'The family Rissoidae Gray, 1847 from Miocene to Present-day in the Mediterranean basin' (Danaus Editions). Active member of the Gruppo Archeologico e Paleontologico Livornese, he is member of the Italian Paleontological Society and of the Società Italiana di Malacologia.