# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 25, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785 "2024-07-25T15:06:02Z")\
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**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/354 "2024-09-03T17:53:09Z")

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> [@Identify and discuss heavily annotated works of historical fiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/8):
>
> _Hild_ by Nicola Griffith includes this note:  
> [About the real Hild | Nicola Griffith](https://nicolagriffith.com/2014/05/13/about-the-real-hild/)
> 
> Griffith did a great deal of research into historical sources for _Hild,_ its sequel _Menewood,_ and novella _Spear._ Her blog on sources and culture is at  
> [https://gemaecce.com/](https://gemaecce.com/)
> 
> See also  
> [We Belong in History: Nicola Griffith on Menewood, Historical Fiction, and Diversity – Ancillary Review of Books](https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2023/11/10/we-belong-in-history-nicola-griffith-on-menewood-historical-fiction-and-diversity/)

Today I learned about the patron sainte of ammonites.

[![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/St_Hilda_memorial_ammonites.jpg/800px-St_Hilda_memorial_ammonites.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/St_Hilda_memorial_ammonites.jpg/800px-St_Hilda_memorial_ammonites.jpg)

> Another legend tells of a plague of snakes which Hilda turned to stone, supposedly explaining the [presence of ammonite fossils](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_of_Whitby#Legends) on the shore. Local artisans carved snakes’ heads onto ammonites, and sold these as relics, “evidence” of her miracle.

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