What was the earliest point where people were aware that dinosaurs had existed? I would imagine that archeology goes back a ways, but before that as well. Did Vikings know about them? Did people dig up, by chance, old bones of something big or a big skull or something- were those the original inspiration for dragons, or maybe other mythology? They might not have know the whole history that we've pieced together but they would have had to have found remains at some point right?