Agostino Scilla
Encyclopedia
Agostino Scilla was an Italian
painter, paleontologist, geologist, and pioneer in the study of fossil
s.
The son of a government official in Messina, Sicily
, Scilla studied under Andrea Sacchi
in Rome and became a painter. He began to study fossils found in the hills of Sicily, sometimes accompanied by botanist Paolo Boccone
. Scilla's only written scientific work is La vana speculazione disingannata dal senso ("Vain Speculation Undeceived by Sense", 1670). In this work he argues for a scientific explanation for fossils, as opposed to them being of fantastic origin or a test of faith from God
. He also correctly identified the supposedly magical objects that were called glossopetrae, or "tongue stones", as the teeth of shark
s.
After participating in an unsuccessful revolt against Spanish
rule, in 1678 he was exiled from Sicily. Scilla worked as a painter in Turin
and then Rome
for the rest of his life.
Dorsum Scilla
on the Moon
is named after him.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
painter, paleontologist, geologist, and pioneer in the study of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s.
The son of a government official in Messina, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Scilla studied under Andrea Sacchi
Andrea Sacchi
Andrea Sacchi was an Italian painter of High Baroque Classicism, active in Rome. A generation of artists who shared his style of art include the painters Nicolas Poussin and Giovanni Battista Passeri, the sculptors Alessandro Algardi and François Duquesnoy, and the contemporary biographer Giovanni...
in Rome and became a painter. He began to study fossils found in the hills of Sicily, sometimes accompanied by botanist Paolo Boccone
Paolo Boccone
Paolo Silvio Boccone was an Italian botanist from Sicily, whose interest in plants had been sparked at a young age...
. Scilla's only written scientific work is La vana speculazione disingannata dal senso ("Vain Speculation Undeceived by Sense", 1670). In this work he argues for a scientific explanation for fossils, as opposed to them being of fantastic origin or a test of faith from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. He also correctly identified the supposedly magical objects that were called glossopetrae, or "tongue stones", as the teeth of shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s.
After participating in an unsuccessful revolt against Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
rule, in 1678 he was exiled from Sicily. Scilla worked as a painter in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and then Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for the rest of his life.
Dorsum Scilla
Dorsum Scilla
Dorsum Scilla is a wrinkle ridge at in Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon. It is 108 km long and was named after Agostino Scilla in 1976....
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is named after him.