Mary Ann Mantell

Mary Ann Mantell (née Woodhouse; 9 April 1795[1] – 20 October 1869[2]) was a British paleontologist. She is credited with the discovery of the first fossils of Iguanodon and provided several pen and ink sketches of the fossils for her husband, Gideon Mantell's, scientific description of Iguanodon.[3]

Mary Ann Mantell
OccupationPalaeontologist
Known forDiscovering Iguanodon
Spouse(s)Gideon Mantell
RelativesWalter Mantell (son)
George Edward Woodhouse (father)
Mary Ann Woodhouse (mother)

Iguanodon discovery
Illustration from the book The Fossils of the South Downs, engraved by Mary Ann Mantell from sketches by Gideon Mantell. The book describes geological formations and fossils found in the South Downs of Sussex, England. Shelfmark: OUM: 1 d. 67. This is plate V, showing strata between Brighton and Rotterdean, strata to the West of Rotterdean, and the landing place at Rotterdean.

In 1822, while Mary Ann Mantell was accompanying her husband to Surrey as he was visiting a patient, she discovered large tooth-shaped fossils on the side of the road. She presented these fossils to him. Her husband then proceeded to send Mary’s findings to Georges Cuvier[4], who then initially thought the teeth that were sent to him were from a rhinoceros.[5][3] Due to his excitement of her findings he launched an excavation of the Tilgate Forest, which resulted in the discovery of the herbivorous reptile, the Iguanodon.[3][6]

Mary Ann Mantell illustrated many of the fossils, that were then used in her husband's scientific publication called Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex published in 1827, in which he describes the Iguanodon, thus named due to its likeness to the modern day Iguana.[3][6]

Family life

Marry Ann Woodhouse was born on 9 April 1795 to George Edward Woodhouse and Mary Ann Woodhouse[7]. In 1816 she married Gideon Mantell and lived with him in Lewes. She accompanied Mantell on his fossil collection trips. Although the couple became a coherent research team, their personal lives suffered and the pair became increasingly distant causing their marriage to end in divorce. They had three children together, including prominent New Zealand scientist and politician Walter Mantell.[8] Gideon was the primary caretaker of the children after the divorce was finalized; he died in 1852 of an opium overdose.[9]

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References
  1. BUREK, C. V. & HIGGS, B. (eds) The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8. DOI: 10.1144/SP281.1.
  2. "England and Wales National Probate Calendar 1858-1966]".
  3. "Dinosaur History". Brooklyn College City University of New York. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  4. Georges Cuvier
  5. BUREK, C. V. & HIGGS, B. (eds) The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8. DOI: 10.1144/SP281.1.
  6. Mantell, Gideon (1827). Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex. London: Lupton Relfe. pp. 71–78 – via Books.Google.
  7. Turner, Susan; Burek, Cynthia V.; Moody, Richard T. J. (2010). "Forgotten women in an extinct saurian (man's) world". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 343 (1): 111–153. Bibcode:2010GSLSP.343..111T. doi:10.1144/sp343.7. ISSN 0305-8719.
  8. Marilyn Bailey Ogilvie, Joy Dorothy Harvey (2000). The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science: L-Z. Taylor & Francis. p. 837. ISBN 041592040X.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  9. BUREK, C. V. & HIGGS, B. (eds) The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8. DOI: 10.1144/SP281.1.

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