The folklore of footprints in stone: From classical antiquity to the present

Since classical times and earlier, footprints in stone have intrigued humanity. Sometimes the supposed footprints were mere indentations produced by the chances of erosion; sometimes they were invertebrate fossils; and sometimes they were faked; but quite often they were the tracks of extinct creatures. The interpretations resulting from observations of these phenomena included legends of gods, heroes and saints: but, on occasion, the envisioning of the track‐maker was remarkably accurate. This account of the folklore of footprints surveys legends from Europe, North and South America, Africa and Australia; it concludes with the beginning of their scientific observation.