Coprolite

The word ‘Coprolite’ refers to fossilised faeces – yup. Poo.

Fossilised poo is an important trace fossil, as they give some evidence to the diet and predatory habits of the creatures we find as fossils.

In some cases, people will refer to these materials as dinosaur poo, but this isn’t strictly accurate – they can come from a wide range of species. In 1972 archaeologists excavating the Viking settlement of Jorvik (York) discovered a human coprolite which is likely the largest specimen of fossilised human faeces ever found.