Name:
Dactylioceras (Snakestone) Age: Jurassic Formation: Lias Ammonite Beds Location: Whitby, Yorkshire, England Size: Ammonite is 2.6 inches across This specimen is not for sale Click here for similar specimens that are for sale
Here is a very interesting fossil. This is a large Dactylioceras ammonite with a snake's head carved onto 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 onto 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 large Snakestone shows the inner coils extremely well and the golden coloration is quite striking. This is a unique item that has been part of English folklore for over a thousand years.