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Name:
Dactylioceras (Snakestone)
Age: Jurassic
Formation: Lias Beds
Location: Whitby, Yorkshire, England
Size: Ammonite is 2.75 inches across
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Here is a very interesting fossil. This is a beautiful Dactylioceras ammonite with a snake's head carved into the ammonite. English folklore tells of the legend of Saint Hilda of Whitby, who cleared the area of snakes by severing their heads with a whip and throwing their remains over the cliffs. To perpetuate the legend, local craftsmen have for centuries carved snake heads into the local fossil ammonites. Snakestones have been recorded from at least Viking times, and in Medievel England, were prized for medicinal puroposes and charms. This Snakestone shows the inner coils extremely well, and the natural coloration is quite striking. This is a unique item that has been part of English folklore for over a thousand years. (Comes with a presentation box and printed legend.)
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