Relating to or characterized by fossilized human remains or the study of human fossils preserved in stone.
From 'anthropolith' + '-ic' suffix. Emerged in 19th-century geological and paleontological discourse to describe periods, deposits, or artifacts connected to fossilized human material.
Scientists used this term to describe geological layers where human fossils were found, helping establish that humans existed far longer ago than previously believed—it literally meant 'human-stone-related' and sounded appropriately scientific.
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