Fossils

Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.
Fossilization process and human beings

Human remains in Oxic Conditions
Human remains in Anoxic Conditions
Human remains preserved in Ice
Human Body Casts
Human Trace Fossil

Oxic Conditions

Last Updated • February 27, 2010

Decay in oxic conditions (in presence of oxygen): only mineralized parts (in humans: bones and teeth) are left

Skeletons found buried in volcanic ash deposited during the Mt. Vesuvius volcanic eruption of year 79 AD

Pompeii, Napoli, Italy

Anoxic Conditions

Last Updated • February 27, 2010

Decay in anoxic conditions (in absence of oxygen):
soft tissues (among others, parts such as skin, hair, and nails) are preserved

Remains of a human ritually sacrificed and thrown in a peat bog, dated between 400 BC and 400 AD

Clonycavan, Ireland

Preservation in Ice

Last Updated • February 27, 2010

Preservation in ice (in absence of oxygen):
soft tissues (among others, parts such as skin, hair, and nails) are preserved

Remains of a human found buried in ice in the Italian Alps, dated at 3300 BC

Bolzano, Italy

(web image)

Human body casts

Last Updated • February 27, 2010

A human fossil cast: the total loss of biological remains left a human-shaped cavity within volcanic ash. The cavity was filled with plaster by contemporary scientists, thus obtaining a cast of the original body.

Pompeii, Napoli, Italy

Human trace fossils

Last Updated • February 27, 2010

Human trace fossil: human footprint left on fresh volcanic ash after a volcanic eruption.

ca. 500 BC

Napoli, Italy

Human trace fossil: human footprint left on mud and fresh volcanic ash.

ca. 200 BC

Huellas de Acahualinca, Managua, Nicaragua

(web image)

Human trace fossil: human footprint left on mud and fresh volcanic ash.

between 3.59 and 3.75 million years

Laetoli Walkway, Laetoli, Tanzania

(web image)