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{{You may|Silurian era}} | {{You may|Silurian era}} | ||
{{Infobox Conflict | |||
|aka = Silurian Age | |||
|image = Prelude_blood_heat_2.JPG | |||
|first mention cs = Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story) | |||
|first cs = Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (novelisation) | |||
|appearances = {{Appears}} | |||
|part of = | |||
|date = | |||
|location = [[Earth]] | |||
|result = [[Great hibernation]] | |||
|nav = | |||
|prev = | |||
|next = | |||
}} | |||
The '''Age of the Silurians''', ([[GAME]]: {{cs|Division of Angels (game)}}) or '''Silurian Age''', ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Silurians (feature)}}) was the era of [[Earth]]'s history in which it was ruled by the [[Silurian]]s. Co-existing with the [[Sea Devil]]s who resided in the [[sea]]s, the [[Silurian Empire]] flourished on the [[land]] before the [[Earth Reptile]]s were forced into [[hibernation]]. ([[GAME]]: {{cs|A Brief History of Space and Time (game)}}) | The '''Age of the Silurians''', ([[GAME]]: {{cs|Division of Angels (game)}}) or '''Silurian Age''', ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Silurians (feature)}}) was the era of [[Earth]]'s history in which it was ruled by the [[Silurian]]s. Co-existing with the [[Sea Devil]]s who resided in the [[sea]]s, the [[Silurian Empire]] flourished on the [[land]] before the [[Earth Reptile]]s were forced into [[hibernation]]. ([[GAME]]: {{cs|A Brief History of Space and Time (game)}}) | ||
The period declined as a result of numerous [[disaster]]s which led different [[triad]]s or [[tribe]]s of Silurians to retreat into [[hibernation]] over the [[millennia]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) including the [[origin of the Moon]] ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}) and the [[extinction of the dinosaurs]]. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Clara Oswald and the School of Death (comic story)}}) Ultimately, with the absence of the Silurians, the [[primitive]] [[ape]]s whom they saw as [[pest]]s [[Evolution of homo sapiens|evolved]] into [[human]]s. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Sea Devils (TV story)}}) Nevertheless, stories of the Silurian Empire spread through the universe, with many alien species considering [[21st century]] humanity to be insignificant compared to Silurians. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|UNIT History (short story)}}) | The period declined as a result of numerous [[disaster]]s which led different [[triad]]s or [[tribe]]s of Silurians to retreat into [[hibernation]] over the [[millennia]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) including the [[origin of the Moon]] ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}) and the [[extinction of the dinosaurs]]. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Clara Oswald and the School of Death (comic story)}}) Ultimately, with the absence of the Silurians, the [[primitive]] [[ape]]s whom they saw as [[pest]]s [[Evolution of homo sapiens|evolved]] into [[human]]s. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Sea Devils (TV story)}}) Nevertheless, stories of the Silurian Empire spread through the universe, with many alien species considering [[21st century]] humanity to be insignificant compared to Silurians. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|UNIT History (short story)}}) | ||
== Dating == | |||
{{Section stub}} | |||
The dating of the Age of the Silurians was uncertain. | |||
[[John Quinn]]'s research came to the conclusion that the Silurians existed in the [[Silurian era]], but the [[Third Doctor]] believed this to be inaccurate. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}) Another source indicated that the Silurians evolved long after the Silurian era. ([[PROSE]]: {{Cs|Prehistory Repeating Itself (feature)}}) | |||
Some accounts indicated the Silurian Age occurred entirely in the [[Cretaceous]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Prehistory Repeating Itself (feature)}}, {{cs|The Silurians (feature)}}) | |||
The Third Doctor believed that the Silurians existed in the [[Eocene era]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}) | |||
== History == | == History == | ||
=== | === Origins of the Silurians === | ||
According to one account, the [[Silurian]]s first emerged on Earth around [[BC|350,000,000 BC]], when the planet was "a world of [[carboniferous]] [[tropical]] [[jungle]]s and [[swamp]]s". ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) | According to one account, the [[Silurian]]s first emerged on Earth around [[BC|350,000,000 BC]], when the planet was "a world of [[carboniferous]] [[tropical]] [[jungle]]s and [[swamp]]s". ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) | ||
During a period of tectonic upheaval, deteriorating conditions on the [[land]] forced some Silurians to spend more time [[feeding]] and [[breeding]] in the [[sea]] until it became their sole [[habitat]], becoming the [[Sea Devil]] [[subspecies]]. The Sea Devils followed a similar [[evolutionary path]] to [[turtle]]s, developing [[beak]]s and [[nostril]]s to [[breathe]] out of the [[water]], while their [[Silurian crest]]s became, through a [[process]] of [[exaptation]], [[gill arches]] situated at the rear of the [[head]]. Their [[eye]]s shifted to the sides of their [[head]]s as another aquatic adaptation, while their claws became dexterous webbed [[hand]]s. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) The Sea Devils came to co-exist with the land-based Silurians, with a [[time traveller's diary]] recording that the two [[Earth Reptile]] species signed a [[peace deal]] on [[28 January]] 425,000,000 BC. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Time Traveller's Diary (novel)}}) Just as the Silurians did, the Sea Devils ruled the Earth when [[human]]ity's [[ancestor]]s were [[ape]]s. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Sea Devils (TV story)}}) | During a period of tectonic upheaval, deteriorating conditions on the [[land]] forced some Silurians to spend more time [[feeding]] and [[breeding]] in the [[sea]] until it became their sole [[habitat]], becoming the [[Sea Devil]] [[subspecies]]. The Sea Devils followed a similar [[evolutionary path]] to [[turtle]]s, developing [[beak]]s and [[nostril]]s to [[breathe]] out of the [[water]], while their [[Silurian crest]]s became, through a [[process]] of [[exaptation]], [[gill arches]] situated at the rear of the [[head]]. Their [[eye]]s shifted to the sides of their [[head]]s as another aquatic adaptation, while their claws became dexterous webbed [[hand]]s. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) | ||
=== Silurian Dominance === | |||
[[File:Sea Devil on dinosaur.jpg|thumb|A Warrior-class Sea Devil riding a dinosaur. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Clara Oswald and the School of Death (comic story)}})]] | |||
The Sea Devils came to co-exist with the land-based Silurians, with a [[time traveller's diary]] recording that the two [[Earth Reptile]] species signed a [[peace deal]] on [[28 January]] 425,000,000 BC. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Time Traveller's Diary (novel)}}) Just as the Silurians did, the Sea Devils ruled the Earth when [[human]]ity's [[ancestor]]s were [[ape]]s. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Sea Devils (TV story)}}) | |||
Both the Silurian and Sea Devil races were led by the [[Triad]], their "custodians". ([[TV]]: {{cs|Warriors of the Deep (TV story)}}) While [[Marsissus|one Sea Devil chief]], whom the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] wrote off as a [[zealot]], claimed the Earth had been covered "in glorious [[aqua]]" during the age of his kind, ([[TV]]: {{cs|Legend of the Sea Devils (TV story)}}) the Sea Devils and Silurians lived alongside each other, ([[TV]]: {{cs|Warriors of the Deep (TV story)}}) with the Silurians ruling over warm landmasses ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Blood Heat (novel)}}, [[TV]]: {{cs|The Hungry Earth (TV story)}}) while their underwater cousins lived within the [[sea]]s. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Warriors of the Deep (TV story)}}) | Both the Silurian and Sea Devil races were led by the [[Triad]], their "custodians". ([[TV]]: {{cs|Warriors of the Deep (TV story)}}) While [[Marsissus|one Sea Devil chief]], whom the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] wrote off as a [[zealot]], claimed the Earth had been covered "in glorious [[aqua]]" during the age of his kind, ([[TV]]: {{cs|Legend of the Sea Devils (TV story)}}) the Sea Devils and Silurians lived alongside each other, ([[TV]]: {{cs|Warriors of the Deep (TV story)}}) with the Silurians ruling over warm landmasses ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Blood Heat (novel)}}, [[TV]]: {{cs|The Hungry Earth (TV story)}}) while their underwater cousins lived within the [[sea]]s. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Warriors of the Deep (TV story)}}) | ||
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Whilst historians observed that different [[triad]]s or [[tribe]]s of Silurians retreated into [[hibernation]] in anticipation of various [[disaster]]s over [[millennia]], contributing to the evolution of distinct Silurian [[subspecies]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) one account indicated that Silurian subspecies co-existed in a [[caste]] system. [[Vastra]], a [[warrior]], recognised her "[[brother]]s" in the [[scholar caste]], whilst their leader, [[Horlak]], acknowledged her as a "[[sister]]". ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|The Lost Dimension (comic story)}}) | Whilst historians observed that different [[triad]]s or [[tribe]]s of Silurians retreated into [[hibernation]] in anticipation of various [[disaster]]s over [[millennia]], contributing to the evolution of distinct Silurian [[subspecies]], ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Monster Vault (novel)}}) one account indicated that Silurian subspecies co-existed in a [[caste]] system. [[Vastra]], a [[warrior]], recognised her "[[brother]]s" in the [[scholar caste]], whilst their leader, [[Horlak]], acknowledged her as a "[[sister]]". ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|The Lost Dimension (comic story)}}) | ||
[[Warrior-class Sea Devil]]s lived on Earth through the so-called [[age of the | [[Warrior-class Sea Devil]]s lived on Earth through the so-called [[age of the Dinosaurs]], having used [[dinosaur]]s as both [[prey]] and as [[armour]]ed mounts. They survived the [[Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event|extinction event]] which wiped out the dinosaurs by plunging their aquatic [[colony|colonies]] into a state of [[hibernation]]. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Clara Oswald and the School of Death (comic story)}}) | ||
The extinction of the dinosaurs occurred around 65,000,000 BC, the time in which Va'stra ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Red-Eyed League (short story)}}) of the [[Eastern Lands]] ([[GAME]]: ''[[Lost in Time (video game)|Lost in Time]]'') was [[born]] ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Cars That Ate London! (audio story)}}, {{cs|The Ghosts of Greenwich (audio story)}}) in the [[Cretaceous]] period. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Symmetry of Death (audio story)}}) | The extinction of the dinosaurs occurred around 65,000,000 BC, the time in which Va'stra ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Red-Eyed League (short story)}}) of the [[Eastern Lands]] ([[GAME]]: ''[[Lost in Time (video game)|Lost in Time]]'') was [[born]] ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Cars That Ate London! (audio story)}}, {{cs|The Ghosts of Greenwich (audio story)}}) in the [[Cretaceous]] period. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Symmetry of Death (audio story)}}) | ||
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=== Alternate timelines === | === Alternate timelines === | ||
One alternate version of the [[Third Doctor]] had his [[Exile on Earth]] in the [[Eocene era]] and joined an [[Earth Reptile]] lab. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|So Vile a Sin (novel)}}) | |||
[[File:Cyber-converted Silurians.jpg|thumb|The Cyber-Silurians. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Supremacy of the Cybermen (comic story)}})]] | [[File:Cyber-converted Silurians.jpg|thumb|The Cyber-Silurians. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Supremacy of the Cybermen (comic story)}})]] | ||
