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William Buckland

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description William Buckland Overview

William Buckland was an English theologian, geologist, and paleontologist who served as Dean of Westminster. In 1824, he published the first full scientific description of a fossil dinosaur, which he named Megalosaurus, based on a jawbone found in Oxfordshire. He was also an early pioneer in the field of paleoecology, notably utilizing fossilized feces, known as coprolites, to reconstruct prehistoric ecosystems. His work bridged the gap between biblical interpretations of history and the emerging geological sciences.

help William Buckland FAQ

Why is William Buckland important to dinosaur science?

In 1824, Buckland published the first full scientific account of an animal later recognized as a dinosaur and named it Megalosaurus. The word Dinosauria was not coined by Richard Owen until 1842.

Where were Buckland's Megalosaurus fossils found?

The key bones came from Stonesfield in Oxfordshire, England. Important specimens remain associated with the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Did William Buckland understand Megalosaurus as a dinosaur?

No, the dinosaur category did not yet exist in 1824. Buckland interpreted Megalosaurus as an enormous extinct reptile, drawing comparisons with large living lizards.

What did William Buckland have to do with the Ice Age theory?

After studying glacial evidence with Louis Agassiz, Buckland became an influential supporter of the idea that ice had shaped the British landscape. This marked a change from some of his earlier attempts to interpret deposits through a great flood.