in ancient times
fou fossi in bce

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In c. 2000–1550 BCE, ancient Canaanites and Ammonites frequently discovered fossils. Because the science of paleontology did not exist, they did not know about dinosaurs. Instead of recognizing them as extinct animals, they interpreted giant bones and fossils through their local mythology, often believing they were the remains of gods, legendary giants, or dragons.Ancient peoples did not understand what fossils were because they lacked the evolutionary framework of "deep time" and extinction. Instead, they categorized the strange rocks and bones based on what they knew about the living world: