Fossils found on island are far older than island itself. How? The ancient Romans
During an excavation on Morocco’s Mogador Island, archaeologists discovered two Early Cretaceous fossils estimated to be between 145 and 140 million years old that were mixed in with ancient Roman artifacts.
Mogador Island is “geologically young” at about 2 million years old and has no Cretaceous history, indicating the marine fossils could not have formed there, according to researchers.
About 30 miles southeast of Mogador along the coast of Morocco’s mainland, there is an abundance of similar brachiopod fossils, and researchers hypothesize that ancient trade networks may explain how the newly discovered fossils ended up on Mogador Island, according to a study published June 6 in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology.
The fossils, identified as Lamellaerhynchia rostroformis, were found among Roman pottery, metal, and glass that dated back to between the 1st and 3rd century AD.
Researchers said the fossils, which show no signs of human manipulation are “extraordinary objects in relation to the other find categories unearthed at the site.” Their presence points to “purposeful collection and storage,” according to the study.
One hypothesis as to how the fossils ended up there is that seasonal nomadic livestock herders traded meat and goods such as fossils with local inhabitants, in exchange for use of their land.
Experts say the fossils also could have been brought to Mogador by merchants selling sandarac wood, which was highly valued by Roman elite. Sandarac wood is found in the mountainous regions of Morocco mainland in the same geological regions where brachiopod fossils can be found, according to the study.
A third theory suggests the fossils may have been used in ritualistic or medicinal contexts, as there is evidence of brachiopod use in rituals and spiritual ceremonies in other cultures as well as evidence that the Romans used other types of fossils in similar ways.
Excavations on Mogador Island in the 1960s also turned up four brachiopods stashed in a Roman amphora, according to the study. They were interpreted at the time to be “prophylactic objects,” or meant to ward off illness, researchers said.
Experts said invertebrate fossils in the context of Roman interest and trade is “poorly studied,” and more research is recommended.
This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM with the headline "Fossils found on island are far older than island itself. How? The ancient Romans."
