Life in Ancient Ohio is a series of seven 24″ x 36″ posters illustrated for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Geological Survey. Each poster depicts one of the geological periods exposed in Ohio. Learn more on the ODNR Life in Ancient Ohio website:
- Late Ordovician (Liberty Formation near Oxford, Ohio)
- Early Silurian (Brassfield Formation near Fairborn, Ohio)
- Middle Devonian (Silica Formation near Paulding, Ohio)
- Early Mississippian (Meadville Shale Member of the Cuyahoga Formation at Lodi, Ohio)
- Late Pennsylvanian (Upper Freeport Coal near Linton, Ohio)
- Early Permian (Dunkard Group near Athens, Ohio)
- Late Pleistocene
The posters are available for purchase from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The following video is a recording of a presentation given to the ODNR in December 2023 describing the process behind this poster project.
Educational Displays
The Life in Ancient Ohio artwork was designed for long-term reuse across a range of educational contexts, such that animals within the scenes can be easily extracted for use in signage and teaching materials. Select artwork from the project has been incorporated into educational exhibits at several ODNR properties, including:
- Caesar Creek State Park Nature Center (Warren County, Ohio): Ordovician
- Horace R. Collins Laboratory & Core Repository (Delaware, Ohio): All
- Hueston Woods State Park Nature Center (Preble County, Ohio): Ordovician
- Lake Loramie State Park Welcome Center (Shelby County, Ohio): Pleistocene
- Mohican State Park Visitor Center (Ashland County, Ohio): Mississippian
Trading Cards
The Ohio Geological Survey has produced trading cards featuring creatures from the Life in Ancient Ohio artwork, with each new series debuting at the Ohio State Fair.
Series 1 (2024)
- Ordovician: Isotelus maximus (giant trilobite)
- Silurian: Stereoaster squamosus (crinoid)
- Devonian: Onychodus sp. (predatory fish)
- Mississippian: Aganides sciotoensis (ammonoid cephalopod)
- Pennsylvanian: Arthropleura sp. (giant millipede)
- Permian: Dimetrodon sp. (sailbacked synapsid)
- Pleistocene: Mammut americanum (mastodon)
Series 2 (2025)
- Ordovician: Megalograptus ohioensis (sea scorpion)
- Silurian: Anartiocystis foerstei (rhombiferan cystoid)
- Devonian: Eldredgeops milleri (trilobite)
- Mississippian: Paraconularia subulata (pyramid-shaped cnidarian)
- Pennsylvanian: Orthacanthus compressus (freshwater shark)
- Permian: Diploceraspis burkei (boomerang-headed amphibian)
- Pleistocene: Megalonyx jeffersonii (giant ground sloth)
Series 3 (2026)
- Ordovician: Grewingkia canadensis (horn coral)
- Silurian: Gomphoceras ortoni (cephalopod)
- Devonian: Paraspirifer bownockeri (brachiopod)
- Mississippian: Strataster ohioensis (brittle star)
- Pennsylvanian: Platyrhinops lyelli (amphibian)
- Permian: Eryops megacephalus (amphibian)
- Pleistocene: Castoroides ohioensis (giant beaver)
Usage Rights
Copyright of the Life in Ancient Ohio artwork belongs to the State of Ohio. Commercial reuse is prohibited. For academic or educational usage, please direct inquiries to the ODNR Division of Geological Survey at geo.survey@dnr.state.oh.us. You may be requested to fill out an official Request For Use form.