Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s...

15
The PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura after 70 years (© U. Oberli) In this issue: News on the activities of the PalArch Foundation 2 Der ‘Saurierfriedhof’ am Tendaguru. Auf den Spuren einer fast vergessenen Ausgrabungsexpedition in Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Andrey Atuchin. An impression 8 The Allard Pierson Museum, the Archaeological Museum of the University of Amsterdam (W. van Haarlem) 10 Egypt in photographs (Z. Kosc) 14 Colophon 14 2 nd edition (2006) Edited by A.J. Veldmeijer, B.L. Beatty & A.M. Hense © 2004 PalArch Foundation

Transcript of Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s...

Page 1: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

The

Pal

Arc

h F

ound

atio

n’s

New

slet

ter

volu

me

2, n

o. 2

(A

pril

2005

)

In this issue:

News on the activities of the PalArch Foundation 2 Der ‘Saurierfriedhof’ am Tendaguru. Auf den Spuren

einer fast vergessenen Ausgrabungsexpedition in Tansania (U. Oberli) 4

Andrey Atuchin. An impression 8 The Allard Pierson Museum, the Archaeological

Museum of the University of Amsterdam (W. van Haarlem) 10

Egypt in photographs (Z. Kosc) 14 Colophon 14

2nd edition (2006)Edited by A.J. Veldmeijer, B.L. Beatty & A.M. Hense

© 2004 PalArch Foundation

The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura after 70 years (© U. Oberli)

Page 2: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

News on the activities of the PalArch Foundation

By A.J. Veldmeijer

A year after the official release of the

online Netherlands scientific journal, we regret to inform you that Sigrid van Roode, the co-founder, vice-chairman and managing editor of archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology stopped her work for the PalArch Foundation, due to her fragile health. Due to this, she was not able anymore to combine her work for PalArch with her full time job in Dutch archaeology. We thank her for all her efforts and work during the last two years.

André Veldmeijer has taken over as managing editor of this section, whereas Brian Beatty, the head of the American branch, currently is the general managing editor of PalArch’s section vertebrate palaeontology.

As you can read in Brian’s section below, things are going quite well and it becomes increasingly difficult to combine the work for PalArch with our regular jobs. We are therefore seeking enthusiastic persons, who fit with the PalArch Foundation in their ideas on science, to apply for co-managing editor on both sections. The archaeology of Egypt./Egyptology section is especially in need of an Egyptologist, rather than archaeologist of Egypt. In joining forces, it will be possible to spread the amount of work and continue to publish in a quick way, as we advocate.

Furthermore, we try to find persons who are willing to take the task of review editor on vertebrate palaeontology and archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, in much the same way as Elly Heirbaut (see next Newsletter) is currently doing for archaeology of North West Europe.

Finally, if someone is interested in editing and publishing more popular articles, please contact us to discuss the possibility to become the managing editor of our Newsletter. In all cases, promotion and acquisitions is part of the job.

New member of the board

We are happy to welcome Hanneke Meijer as a member of the board of the Foundation. More on Hanneke and her work

for the PalArch Foundation in the following issue.

News from the American Branch of the PalArch Foundation’s division of vertebrate

palaeontology

By B.L. Beatty

Since our last newsletter, the Vertebrate Palaeontology section has become delightfully inundated with new manuscripts, including two for this April’s issue and three papers due out in July as of this writing (March 19, 2005). With the advent of Andre Veldmeijer’s technological limits during fieldwork this past two months, I have had the joy of receiving a large number of manuscripts – all of the high quality we have been so proud to publish since the journal’s inception, thank you! News of the journal is slowly spreading, as is evident from our notable increase in submissions. I hope that this influx is not a mere aberration and that we may expect this to continue and grow well into the future. So please, keep your vertebrate palaeontological works coming!

Publications in the April issue (provided

unforeseen circumstances)

Papers, www.PalArch.nl 2, archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology

Tomorad, M. 2005. The Egyptian antiquities in

Croatia. – PalArch, series archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology 2, 1: 1-33.

Papers, www.PalArch.nl 2, vertebrate

palaeontology

Panadés I Blas, X. 2005. Diversity versus variability in Megaloolithid dinosaur eggshells. – PalArch, series vertebrate palaeontology 2, 1: 1-13.

Everhart, M.J. 2005. Bite marks on an elasmosaur (Sauropterygia; Plesiosauria) paddle from the Niobrara Chalk (Upper Cretaceous) as probable evidence of feeding by the lamniform shark, Cretoxyrhina mantelli. – PalArch,

PalArch Foundation 2

Page 3: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

series vertebrate palaeontology 2, 2: 14-24.

Signore, M., E.M. Bucci, C. Pede & C. Barbera. 2005. A new ichthyodectid fish from the Lower Cretaceous of Pietraroja (Southern Italy). – PalArch, series vertebrate palaeontology 2, 3: 25-30.

PalArch Foundation’s centre of book reviews

Campagno, M. 2005. Book review of: Rice, M.

2003. Egypt’s Making. The origins of Ancient Egypt 5000-2000 BC. Second Edition (London/New York, Routledge). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Cooney, K.M. 2005. Book review of: Teeter, E. 2003. Scarabs, scaraboids, seals, and seal impressions from Medinet Habu, with post-Pharaonic seals and seal Impressions by T.G. Wilfong. (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, Oriental Institute 118). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Dieleman, J. 2005. Book review of: Vittmann, G. 2003. Ägypten und die Fremden im ersten vorchristlichen Jahrtausend. (Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz am Rhein, Kulturgeschichte der Antiken Welt 97). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Enckevort, van, H. 2005. Book review of: Curchin, L.A. 2003. The Romanization of Central Spain. Complexity, diversity and change in a provincial hinterland (London/New York, Routledge). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Hoek Ostende, van den, L. 2005. Book review of: Taylor, P. Ed. 2004. Extinctions in the history of life. (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Hoof, van, L.G.L. 2005. Book review of: Besse, M. & J. Desideri. Eds. 2004. Graves and funerary rituals during the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age in Europe

(2700-2000 BC). Proceedings of the international conference held at the Cantonal Archaeological Museum, Sion (Switzerland) October 4th-7th 2001. (Oxford, BAR International Series 1284). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Kooten, van, C. 2005. Book review of: Wenzel, G. 2004. Feathered dinosaurs of China & Giant dinosaurs of the Jurassic. (Watertown, Charlesbridge Publishing). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Meijer, H.J.M. 2005. Book review of: Chatterjee, S. & R.J. Templin. 2004. Posture, locomotion, and paleoecology of pterosaurs. (Boulder, Geological Society of America, Special Paper 376). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Meurkens, L. 2005. Book review of: Topping, P. & M. Lynott. Eds. 2005. The cultural landscape of Prehistoric mines. (Oxford, Oxbow Books). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Schulp, A.S. 2005. Book review of: Weishampel. D.B., P. Dodson & H. Osmólska. Eds. 2004. The dinosauria (2nd edition). (Berkeley/Los Angeles/London, University of California Press). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Signore, M. 2005. Book review of: Elewa, A.M.T. Ed. 2004. Morphometrics. Applications in biology and paleontology. (Heidelberg, Springer Verlag). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Signore, M. 2005. Book review of: Chatterjee, S. & R.J. Templin. 2004. Posture, locomotion, and paleoecology of pterosaurs. (Boulder, Geological Society of America, Special Paper 376). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

PalArch Foundation 3

Page 4: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

Vos, de, J. 2005. Book review of : Zhanxiang, Q., Tao, D. & Banyue, W. 2004. Early Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Longdan, Dongxiang, Gansu, China. (Palaeontologia Sinica, Whole Number 191, New Series C, Number 27, Science Press). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Wendrich, W.Z. 2005. Book review of: Fowler, C. 2004. The archaeology of personhood. An anthropological approach. (London/New York, Routledge). – PalArch, non scientific (http://www.palarch.nl/Non_scientific/bookreview.htm).

Der ‘Saurierfriedhof’ am Tendaguru Auf den Spuren einer fast vergessenen

Ausgrabungsexpedition in Tansania

By U. Oberli

Prof. Dr. Edwin Hennig, Gewesene Welten, Auf Saurierjagd im ostafrikanischen Busch, 1955.

Die Brachiosaurier sind die mächtigsten Tiere, die jemals auf unserem Planeten wohnten. Das grösste Skelett, das heute in Ostberlin besichtigt werden kann, ist rund 13 Meter hoch und 23 Meter lang (aus Hennig, Gewesene Wel en). t

PalArch Foundation 4

Page 5: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

Fasziniert von dieser Lektüre entschloss ich mich sogleich, an die Fundstelle zu reisen, um selber nach einigen versteinerten Saurier-Überresten zu suchen. Ohne mich auf mein Vorhaben detailliert vorbereitet zu haben, reiste ich zu Beginn meiner dreiwöchigen Herbstferien nach Afrika. Zu meinem Reisegepäck gehörten nebst meinem Buch nur gerade noch ein paar Kleider, ein kleines

Übersichtskarte.

Buss ation in Moshi, m t Sicht au Kiliman aro (© U. Oberli).

t i f j

Vor ein paar Jahren erstand ich mir in einem Antiquariat ein Buch mit dem, nicht eben vielsagenden Titel ‚Am Tendaguru’. Darin wird in spannender und mitreissender Art die grösste Saurierausgrabungsexpedition aller Zeiten geschildert, die im Jahre 1907 von Berlin aus ins südöstliche Tansania, der damaligen deutschen Kolonie Südostafrika, aufbrach und dort, fern von aller Zivilisation, einen eigentlichen Urtier-Friedhof mit Unmengen von Dinosaurier-Überresten entdeckte und aushob. In dreijahriger harter Arbeit wurde damals unter anderem das grösste Dinosaurierskelett ausgegraben, das mit einer Länge von 23 Metern und einer Höhe von 13 Metern noch heute die Hauptattraktion des Paläontologischen Museums in Ostberlin bildet.

Zelt sowie mein Reisepass. lch flog zuerst nach Nairobi, wo ich mit Professor Leaky, einem berühmten englischen Paläontologen, zusammentreffen wollte, da ich mir von ihm einige Tips für meine ‚Saurierjagd’ versprach. Der Professor machte mich auf die Gefährlichkeit meines Vorhabens aufmerksam. Zu jener Zeit waren nämlich Grenzstreitigkeiten zwischen Tansania und dem südlichen Nachbarland Mocambique an der Tagesordnung. Dennoch reiste ich am nächsten Morgen von Nairobi aus mit dem Bus südwärts. Eine abenteuerliche, rund sechs Stunden dauernde Busfahrt, zusammen mit lauter fröhlichen Afrikanern sowie mit gackernden, kreischenden und grunzenden Haustieren aller Art endete schliesslich in Arusha, einem wichtigeren Ort im Norden Tansanias. Von dort aus gings nochmals etwa 80 Kilometer östwärts durch Steppe und Busch, bevor ich in Moshi, dem Ausgangspunkt der meisten Kilimanjaro-Touren, ankam, wo ich auf dem Zeltplatz übernachtete. Die schneebedeckte Spitze des höchsten afrikanischen Berges sah im Morgenrot des kornmenden Tages seltsam

Daressalam, das Schiff nach Mtwara liegt zum Auslaufen bereit (© U. Oberl . i)

PalArch Foundation 5

Page 6: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

Beachhotel Lindi (© U. Oberli). unwirklich aus. lch wäre hier gerne noch etwas langer geblieben, aber auch die Saurier lockten ... Wiederum mit dem Bus reiste ich in aller Frühe weiter nach der Hauptstadt Daressalam.

Dort sollte es sich dann am nächsten Morgen, ich übernachtete in der Jugendherberge, zurn erstenmal rächen, dass ich mich nicht gerade sorgfältig auf die Reise vorbereitet hatte. Zur frühen Stunde wollte ich nämlich einen Küstenbus nach dem etwa 400 Kilometer südlich gelegenen Küstenstädtchen Lindi besteigen. Auf der Busstation erfuhr ich aber, dass der Regen Teile der Strasse überflutet und sogar weggeschwemmt hätte

Badestimmung vor dem Hotel (© U. Oberl .

und dass mit der Wiederaufflahme des Busbetriebes in den folgenden zwei, drei Wochen nicht gerechnet werden könne. Das Glück stand mir jedoch bei: im Hafen traf ich zufällig auf einen norwegischen Kapitän, der sich eben anschickte, die letzten Reisevorbereitungen für eine Schiffahrt mit Bestimmungsort Mtwara, nicht weit von Lindi entfernt, zu treffen. Schnell entschlossen fuhr ich mit. Gegen Abend erreichten wir die Mafia-Insel, wo einige Passagiere das Schiff verliessen. Nachher erlebte ich einen fröhlichen, unvergesslichen Abend mit zumeist jungen Schwarzafrikanern. Als einziger Europäer auf dern Dampfer stand ich natürlich im Mittelpunkt des Interesses. Mehrmals wollte man von mir wissen, weshalb ich ausgerechnet in den wenig attraktiven Süden des Landes reisen wolle. Da gäbe es nichts zu sehen und zu erleben, meinten einige Studenten, die gerade ein paar Tage in der Hauptstadt verbracht hatten und nun auf dem Rückweg nach Mtwara waren, wo sie am Landwirtschaftstechnikum studierten. Als ich ihnen erzählte, dass das Hinterland von Lindi zu Urzeiten direkt am Meer gelegen habe, dass dort vor etwa 150 Millionen Jahren die

Nahrungsbeschaffung (© U. Oberl . i)i)

PalArch Foundation 6

Page 7: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

grössten je auf der Welt existierenden Tiere, die Brachiosaurier, gehaust hatten und dass vor rund 70 Jahren ene Expedition von deutschen Wissenschaftern zusammen mit gegen 800 Eingeborenen nach versteinerten Überresten dieser Tiere grub, da staunten die meisten ungläubig. Sie hatten bisher weder etwas von ‘Lindi-Sauriern’ noch von einer Ausgrabungsexpedition gehört. Einige waren aber so begeistert, dass sie sich spontan als ‘Expeditionsteilnehmer’ und Dolmetscher zur Verfügung stellen wollten. Leider erteilte ihnen dann die Schulleitung in Mtwara, wo wir am folgenden Morgen ankamen, keine Dispens, was sowohl die Studenten als auch ich ausserordentlich bedauerten. Nach zwei Stunden Busfahrt, diesmal nordwärts, erreichte ich am fünften Reisetag das verträurnte Hafenstädtchen Lindi. Nun war ich am vorläufigen Ziel meiner Reise.

Hier in der Nähe von Lindi stolperte im Jahre 1907 ein deutscher Ingenieur namens Sattler über einen aus dem Erdreich ragenden fossilen Knochen und gab damit Anlass zur bisher erfolgreichsten Saurierausgrabung. Leiter der damaligen Expedition war Kustos Dr. Janesch vom Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin. Sein Assistent, ein junger Wissenschafter und späterer Professor für Paläontologie, war Dr. Edwin Hennig, der Verfasser des Buches, das zum direkten AusIöser meiner Reise geworden war. Überreste einer ganzen Fauna wurden hier

Koch vom Beachhotel (© U. Oberli).

unter glühender Tropensonne ausgegraben: vier- und zweibeinig laufende, nackthäutige und gepanzerte, fleisch- und pflanzenfressende, zierlich-kleine, vor allem aber alles bisher Bekannte an Riesenhaftigkeit übertreffende Saurier! Etliche Tausende von Trägerlasten wurden damals durch unwirtliches Buschgebiet über schmale Neger- und Elefantenpfade hierher nach Lindi transportiert, in Kisten verpackt und schliesslich nach Deutschland verschifft. Und nun befand ich mich auf den Spuren dieser Expedition!

Part two will be published in the Newsletter of July 2005. .

PalArch Foundation 7

Page 8: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

Andrey Atuchin. An impression

The new PalArch flyer, already being

used for some months, has on its back an illustration of an Avimimus skeleton by the young Russion palaeo artist Andrey Atuchin. But who is Andrey Atuchin? A short introduction.

I come from Siberia, Russia and am 24

years old. For seven years I have been specialising in illustrating dinosaurs. I have been interested in palaeontology as long as I can remember.

Therizinosaurus, arm skeleton (© A. Atuchin).

Gallimimus (© A. Atuchin). When I was six years old, I already drew scientists digging up a dinosaur bones! ut to be honest, I do not really know what influenced my passion. My dream was to become a palaeontologist one day, but that dream did not come true and instead I try to make a living by being an artist.

Even as a child I noticed that the illustrations in scientific books were quite inaccurate. It is very important to learn as a palaeo artist to draw as accurately as possible and to require such illustration, the use of morphological data is of utmost importance but one should also study modern animals.I have not been fully educated as artist but taught myself how to draw, among others by looking

Deinonychus (© A. Atuchin).

PalArch Foundation 8

Page 9: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

at other work and how these artist worked. And I began to collect, information about dinosaurs:photos pictures with bones and skeletons, texts about different species. First I drew with a pencil, later with paints and started with the isolated animals. Only recently I began to paint landscapes. I enjoy drawing reconstructed skulls and dinosaur skeletons in ink and in doing so I study all I can on these particular dinosaurs to render them as

The Avimimus skeleton to be seen at the back of PalArch’s flyer and the watermark in this Newsletter (© A. Atuchin).

Einiosaurus (© A. Atuchin).

accurately as possible. The main requirements for my illustrations are accuracy, exactness and realism. When drawing it is necessary to know the natural conditions of the given period and territory, to know which dinosaurs and other animals existed at that time and place. I often imagine many different pictures of dinosaur life; I pick out a few and develop some of them. Then I try to realise the most interesting images or scenes as numerous sketches on paper.

The main difficulty for me is the inaccessibility of information. And even if literature and pictures are available, the bones themselves have never been seen by me (with the exception of small fragments of phalanges and vertebrae of Psittacosaurus from Shestakovo location).

In 2002 and 2003 I took part in the 2nd and 3rd International Contests of Dinosaur illustration and I cooperate with many internet sites, sending them my illustrations. In doing so, I try to make myself known and hope to let people realise that I would like to make illustrations for them. I hope to illustrate dinosaur books in the future.

PalArch Foundation 9

Page 10: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

Tarbosaurus bataar (© A. Atuchin).

The Allard Pierson Museum, the Archaeological Museum of the University of

Amsterdam

By W. van Haarlem

History

The name of the Allard Pierson Museum is derived from the first professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam,

Allard Pierson. This former clergyman was invited in 1877 to occupy the chair of Aesthetics, Art History and Modern Languages at the newly founded university - a rather wide range of disciplines. His passion for antiquity, fuelled by his travels to the Mediterranean area, led to the collecting of plaster casts. However, this private collection was not even approaching a real museum.

PalArch Foundation 10

Page 11: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

The Allard Pierson Museum at the Oude Turfmarkt, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (© Al ard Pierson Museum). l

Professor J. Six and the Allard Pierson

Foundation

The second professor, who taught archaeology at the Amsterdam University, was J. Six. He owned a large collection of books and antiques, which he made available for education and research. The Allard Pierson Foundation was established in order to purchase this collection. J.L. Pierson, son of the first archaeology professor, supported the Foundation financially. The marvellous old books are still preserved today at the Institute of the Department of Mediterranean Archaeology.

The Scheurleer Collection. A public museum

To progress from this original collection

to the present-day, much still had to happen. An important step in this direction was taken when the Scheurleer Collection from The Hague was put up for auction. The banker C.W. Lunsingh Scheurleer, victimised by the 1929 crisis, was forced to sell the collection of his museum. Thanks to the efforts of the

Coffin of Teuris with the weighing of the heart, 2nd century AD, Tunah el-Gebel, APM 7069 (© Al ard Pierson Museum). l

Reconstruction with the original pottery from Tomb no. 601 at Abydos, 1st dynasty, Petrie excavations (© Allard Pierson Museum).

contemporary professor of archaeology in Amsterdam, G.A.S. Snijder, the Allard Pierson Foundation was able to buy the collection. It was then transferred to the University of Amsterdam, on condition that the new collection would be on display. On the 12

th of November 1934, the Allard Pierson Museum opened its doors to a new building, a former school.

Development of the Museum

Many gifts and loans have since then enriched the collection. During World War II

Limestone trial-piece, Tell el-Amarna, 18th dynasty, APM 3795. EES excavations (© Allard Pierson Museum).

PalArch Foundation 11

Page 12: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

Mummy portrait of a girl on a panel, Fayum, 2nd century AD, APM 724 (© Al ard Pierson Museum).

l

most objects were stored underground in 'hermetic metal barrels'. In fact, these were rubbish bins. After the war, C.H.E. Haspels succeeded Snijder. In this period, an important permanent loan was made to the museum: the collection Van Leer, consisting of many fine artifacts from ancient Egypt. As the collection kept on growing, lack of space hampered the development of the museum. Especially under the next professor-director, J.M. Hemelrijk, important acquisitions were the Greek artifacts from the Six Collection and a collection of Iranian artifacts, donated by Van Lier. With these, again a new building had become a necessity.

Gilded mummy-mask cartonnage of a woman, 1st century AD, APM 7118 (© Al ard Pierson Museum).

l

The Oude Turfmarkt

This new building was provided for by

the Nederlandsche Bank, who moved in 1973 out of the monumental building at the Oude Turfmarkt. On the occasion the opening in 1976 of the museum at this location some large pieces of sculpture were donated to the museum.

Many exhibitions have since then propagated the name of the museum. Under the former director, H.A.G. Brijder, large international exhibitions were set up, such as ‘Krete, Cradle of Europe’, ‘The Etruscans’ and ‘Cyprus and Aphrodite’ which attracted large numbers of visitors. The Egyptian section of the Museum was completely overhauled in 1992, and a new Mummy Room was added to it in 2001: the section now occupies the whole first floor of the Museum. In 1994, when a new wing was opened, the possibilities for exhibitions were enormously extended. Recent activities, in 1996, are the renovation of the auditorium and the installation of a climate regulation device. The storerooms were also completely renovated. In 2001, Prof. Dr. R.A. Lunsingh Scheurleer took over the directorship

PalArch Foundation 12

Page 13: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

of the Museum. The next exhibition will be: ‘Malta. Temples and Tombs’.

The present situation

The mission of the Allard Pierson

Museum, as a University museum and in cooperation with the Department of Mediterranean Archaeology, is to make the Mediterranean Antiquity accessible for scholarly purposes (for Academic and other training and research) as well as for a broad audience with special attention for youths. The museum is displaying original antiquities and other objects as one of the sources of Western tradition to put the present in a culture-historical perspective by means of insight in and understanding of the past.

The museum has a specific and essential place in the cultural environment of the city of Amsterdam. It aims at being a relaxing place, and a stimulating and inspiring surrounding for visitors and staff.

The Museum is now housing collections comprising Egypt, the Near East (with objects from recent excavations in Selenkahiye, Syria), the Greek world including the Minoan and Mycenean periods, Southern Italy and Cyprus, and the Roman world including the Etruscan period and Northern Africa. A plaster cast collection of antique sculpture serves mainly educational purposes. The collection now takes up about 15.000 inventory numbers, with, however, sometimes dozens of individual objects under one overall number.

The Egyptian section focuses on the

Wool en chi dren's dress, APM 6108 (© Allard Pierson Museum).

Example of glass negatives housed in the Allard Pierson Museum. The giant statue of Ramesses II at Memphis. End of the 19th century (© Allard Pierson Museum). Predynastic and Archaic Period (including many objects from excavations by W.M.F. Petrie), the Amarna and Late periods, and Greco-Roman and Coptic times: the Museum boasts the largest collection of Coptic textiles in The Netherlands.

The Museum is furnished with fully equipped restoration and photographical departments, and its own technical facilities. The photo-archive has a collection of hundreds of early glass negatives from all over the Mediterranean. The library of the former Egyptological department of the University of Amsterdam is also housed on the Museum premises.

Cataloging

Several scientific catalogue projects are going on or are finished now in almost all

Example of glass negatives housed in the Allard Pierson Museum. The Sphinx at Giza at the end of the 19th century (© Allard Pierson Museum).

l l

PalArch Foundation 13

Page 14: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

sections of the collection; a new overall vistior‘s guide was published recently as well.

The Museum‘s Inventory is in the final stages of being fully digitalised (including object images), and will be put on the Internet

very soon now, including a virtual tour. The website is due for an overhaul as well http://cf.uba.uva.nl/apm/

Egypt in photographs

By Z. Kosc

Two Ababda women, Manazig, Eastern Desert, Egypt by Z. Kosc © 2005 (see also: visit Ababda bedouins; http://puck.wolmail.nl/%7ekosc/Ababda%20bw/ababda101.html).

Colophon The Newsletter is an initiative of the

PalArch Foundation and is edited by A.J. Veldmeijer ([email protected]) and B.L. Beatty ([email protected]). The illustration editing is done by A.M. Hense (www.egypt-archaeology.com/, [email protected]).

The Newsletter is offered for free to the supporters of the Foundation (see http://www.palarch.nl/information.htm, 3.6 Membership); back issues will be offered for sale at the website (www.PalArch.nl) at 5 euro each (excluding dispatch costs) .

Any questions and reactions regarding the Newsletter, the Foundation or the webbased Netherlands scientific journal should

be addressed to [email protected]. The address to which correspondence can be send is: PalArch Foundation, Mezquitalaan 23, 1064 NS, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The procedure for work submitted to be published in the Newsletter follows the same rules and procedures as scientific publications and can be found at http://www.palarch.nl/information.htm, 4. Submission. About www.PalArch.nl (Netherlands scientific journal) copyright.

Copyright © 2003 PalArch Foundation

The author retains the copyright, but

agrees that the PalArch Foundation has the exclusive right to publish the work in electronic

PalArch Foundation 14

Page 15: Tansania (U. Oberli) 4 Museum of the University of · PDF fileThe PalArch Foundation’s Newsletter volume 2, no. 2 (April 2005) The dinosaur quarry at Tendagura ... An impression

www.PalArch.nl Newsletter 2, 2 (2005)

or other formats. The author also agrees that the Foundation has the right to distribute copies (electronic and/or hard copies), to include the work in archives and compile volumes. The Foundation will use the original work as first published at www.PalArch.nl.

The author is responsible for obtaining

the permission of the use of illustrations (drawings, photographs or other visual images) made by others than the author. The author can be requested to submit proof of this permission to the PalArch Foundation. Pdf texts (papers and proceedings) are free to download on the conditions that each copy is complete and contains the PalArch copyright statement; no changes are made to the contents and no charge is made. The downloaded (and/or printed) versions of PalArch publications may not be duplicated in hard copy or machine readable form or reproduced photographically, and they may not be redistributed, transmitted, translated or stored on microfilm, nor in electronic databases other than for single use by the person that obtained the file. Commercial use or redistribution can only be realised after consultation with and with written permission of the PalArch Foundation.

PalArch Foundation 15