The accumulation and disposal of Gideon Mantell's fossil collections and their role in the history of British palaeontology

Abstract

Through his early interest in fossils, Mantell participated in the geological exploration of the Weald and the Chalk Downs around Lewes. The material he accumulated contributed to the descriptive phase of British palaeontology and formed his notable museums at Lewes and Brighton, before its eventual acquisition by the British Museum. The nature of his collections, their significance and use in the interpretation of both vertebrate and invertebrate fossils and our knowledge of Cretaceous faunas, are discussed.