Author Archives
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May 9, 11, and 13 – Rest in Peace: The Lemuria Festival of the Dead
Manes, Lares, and Lemures. © Jason R. Abdale (August 21, 2021) Do you believe in ghosts? The ancient Romans certainly did. The spirits of the Undead were a real concern and a real fear for the ancient Romans. Therefore, it… Read More ›
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May 15 – The Feast of Mercury
The Roman god Mercury, from the House of the Vettii, Pompeii. Image by Buzz Ferebee (2017).https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:House_of_the_Vettii_VI_15,1_Pompeii_2017_Detail_of_Mercury_with_his_caduceus_from_central_panel_on_north_wall_exedra_p_%28Mau_Plan%29_courtesy_of_Buzz_Ferebee.jpg. May 15 was the date of the Mercuralia, the Feast of Mercury. Mercury was the Roman version for the ancient Greek god Hermes, the… Read More ›
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Evidence of Therizinosaurs in North America during the Late Cretaceous Period
Introduction For many years, paleontologists have known about the presence of therizinosaurs (formerly classified as segnosaurs) in Asia, especially within what’s now Mongolia and China. However, Asia and North America were linked during a considerable portion of the Cretaceous Period,… Read More ›
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Coelurus again
Coelurus is one of my favorite theropod dinosaurs, and has been since I was young. It’s not as well-known as other Jurassic theropods like Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, and Ornitholestes, partly because it is only known from fragmentary evidence. Yet I’m always… Read More ›
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April 23 – The Vinalia Priora: The Ancient Roman Spring Wine Festival
I feel the coming of the flowery Spring,Wakening tree and vine;A bowl capacious quickly bringAnd mix the honeyed wine.Weave for my throat a garland of fresh dill,And crown my head with flowers,And o’er my breast sweet perfumes spillIn aromatic showers…. Read More ›
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Hallopus
This is Hallopus victor, a 3-foot long reptile that lived in the Morrison Formation of western North America during the late Jurassic Period approximately 150 million years ago. Hallopus belonged to a group of reptiles called the “sphenosuchians” a group… Read More ›
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Camptosaurus
This is Camptosaurus dispar, a 20 foot long plant-eating dinosaur from the Morrison Formation of western North America during the late Jurassic Period. In most paleo-art, it seems that the only purpose in life for this unfortunate animal is to… Read More ›
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Macelognathus
This is Macelognathus vagans. This animal lived in the Morrison Formation of western North America during the late Jurassic Period approximately 150 million years ago. Macelognathus belongs to a group of animals called the “sphenosuchians”, which is a group that’s… Read More ›
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Dryosaurus
NOTE: This article was originally posted on April 8, 2020. It was substantially updated on December 14, 2022. This is Dryosaurus, a 10 foot long plant-eating ornithopod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation of western North America, and possibly… Read More ›
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Ceratosaurus Osteoderms: A Revised Perspective
Ceratosaurus is an iconic dinosaur due to numerous physical attributes that distinguish it from other theropod species: the horn on the end of its nose, the massive teeth, the tiny hands with the four fingers, the wide tail, etc. However,… Read More ›
DINOSAURS AND BARBARIANS 
