Mary Ann Mantell was a British fossil collector and the wife of the British paleontologist Gideon Mantell. She is credited – although this is disputed – with the discovery of the first fossils of Iguanodon and provided several pen and ink sketches of the fossils for her husband's scientific description of the Iguanodon.
Mary Ann Mantell
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.
Lithograph drawing of Iguanodon tooth drawn by Mary Ann
Gideon Algernon Mantell MRCS FRS was an English obstetrician, geologist and palaeontologist. His attempts to reconstruct the structure and life of Iguanodon began the scientific study of dinosaurs: in 1822 he was responsible for the discovery of the first fossil teeth, and later much of the skeleton, of Iguanodon. Mantell's work on the Cretaceous of southern England was also important.
Gideon Mantell
166 High Street, Lewes, the home of Gideon Mantell
Sketch of Tilgate Quarry with Gideon Mantell overseeing the uncovering of fossils
Illustration of fossil Iguanodon teeth with a modern iguana jaw shown beneath them, from Mantell's 1825 paper describing Iguanodon.
