ammonite etymology

Etymology:

The term "ammonite" derives from the Greek word "Ἀμμωνίτης" (Ammonites), which referred to a group of Ammonites.

Meaning:

Ammonites are extinct marine cephalopods that lived during the Mesozoic Era, approximately 245 to 66 million years ago. They are characterized by their distinctive coiled, chambered shells, which are often preserved as fossils.

Origin:

1. Egyptian god Ammon:

• The name "Ammonites" was coined by German naturalist Johan Jacob Scheuchzer in 1728.
• Scheuchzer believed the fossils resembled the ram's horns worn by the Egyptian god Ammon, who was often depicted as a man with the head of a ram.

2. Ammonite of Cyrene:

• Another possible origin of the name is the city of Cyrene in Libya, where ancient Greek colonists worshipped Zeus Ammon.
• Fossils found near Cyrene may have been associated with the cult of Ammon, leading to the term "Ammonite."

3. Biblical reference:

• In the Bible, the Ammonites were a tribe of people who lived east of the Jordan River.
• It is thought that the fossilized shells of ammonites may have been mistaken for the helmets of Ammonite warriors, hence the name "Ammonite" for these fossils.

Note:

While the name "ammonite" is derived from ancient Greek and biblical references, the scientific classification of ammonites falls under the class Cephalopoda and the order Ammonitida.

ammonite relate terms

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• fossil

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• fall

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• shenanigan

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• sublime

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• indigenous

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