Re: Location of Lucy Fossil?

Jim Foley (jimf@vangelis.FtCollins.NCR.com)
30 Mar 1995 00:42:30 GMT

In article <28MAR199522291555@rosie.uh.edu>,
JAMES BENTHALL <st26h@rosie.uh.edu> wrote:
>Hello Fellow Netheads,
>
>I recently returned from a trip to Paris where I was able to visit the Musee
>d'Homme (Museum of Mankind) and saw a/the fossil of Lucy. All the displays
>were in French, which I don't know, so I was unable to discern if it was the
>real thing or a representation. Does anyone know where the genuine Lucy
>fossil is located? Thanks ahead of time.

The National Museum of Ethiopa is it's real home. Even if you go there,
though, I doubt you'll see the original.

There is a fascinating section in Marvin Lubenow's "Bones of Contention"
(a creationist book, as it happens) where he describes how priceless
original human fossils are, and how carefully they are guarded. Despite
visiting many major museums, he has never seen an original human fossil.
Even most paleoanthropologists haven't seen many originals (not the
important ones, anyway). Almost all of them work with casts, and access
to the originals is very limited.

The one time when many major fossils were actually viewable by the
public was the "Ancestors" exhibition in 1984. Incredible precautions
were taken to protect them from both accidents and deliberate harm.

--

Jim Foley                             Symbios Logic, Fort Collins

Jim.Foley@symbios.com                        (303) 223-5100 x9765