The Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya: Ethiopia's dispatching of the Lucy skeleton on a six-year-tour of the United States is akin to prostituting the fragile, 3.2 million year-old fossil, paleontologist Richard Leakey said Friday.
The Lucy skeleton — one of the world's most famous fossils — was quietly flown out of Ethiopia earlier this week for the U.S. tour. Leakey, one of the world's best-known fossil hunters, is not the first to criticize what some see as a gamble with an irreplaceable relic. The U.S. Smithsonian Institution also has objected to the tour, and the secretive manner in which the remains were sent abroad has raised eyebrows in Ethiopia, where the public has seen the real Lucy fossil only twice.
"It's a form of prostitution, it's gross exploitation of the ancestors of humanity and it should not be permitted," Leakey told The Associated Press in an interview at his Nairobi office.
Ethiopian officials were not immediately available for comment, but have said in the past that proceeds from the tour would be used to upgrade museums in one of the world's poorest countries. Dirk Van Tuerenhout, the curator of anthropology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where Lucy will be on display from Aug. 31 to April 20, said this week his museum will use "the utmost care."
Lucy, the fossilized partial skeleton of what was once a 3 1/2-foot-tall adult of an ape-man species, was discovered in 1974 in the remote, desert-like Afar region in northeastern Ethiopia. Lucy is classified as an Australopithecus afarensis, which lived in Africa between about 3 million to 4 million years ago, and is the earliest known hominid.
The U.S. State Department approved the exhibit for temporary importation into the U.S., saying that display of Lucy and the other artifacts is in the national interest because of their "cultural significance."
Stops beyond Houston have yet to be finalized, but Ethiopian officials have said they include New York, Denver and Chicago.
Leakey said the skeleton will almost certainly get damaged.
"These specimens will get damaged no matter how careful you are and every time she is moved there is a risk," he said. "A specimen that is that precious and unique shouldn't be exposed to the threats of damage by travel."
He also said keeping Lucy in Ethiopia would lure tourists to the country.
"The point is, what is the benefit of taking one of the most iconic examples of the human story from Africa to parade it around in second-level museums in the United States?" he said.
Leakey is one of the world's most renowned paleontologists. His team unearthed the bones of Turkana Boy — the most complete skeleton of a prehistoric human ever found — in the desolate, far northern reaches of Kenya in 1984.
He is also a conservationist credited with helping end the slaughter of elephants in Kenya during the 1980s.
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It is even worse than any prostitution known to history.
Instead of allowing tourists to come to Ethiopia and see the unique but frigile treasure why send it abroad to collect money like a cheap mafia?
Well, with one man dictatorial state only one man decides about the national matters. Recently the same bad government shot, killed, and sold the skin of rare African lion for few hundred dollars.
That bad government does not even lack money as such because even a single member of the ruling party (TPLF) may raise some $46 million for a divorce case.
August 10th, 2007 at 5:41 PM
There is nothing surprising or unusual any more on the Wayane Government led by Ato Melesse. Every thing is OK for quick cash gain no matter how it can affect the country’s dignity, safety, integrity. What's the big deal as to shipping one small human remain called Lucy, for Ato Melesse he already slashing the country and a sale sign is posted every where in the market place.
- Eritrea is cut off from Ethiopia thanks to Ato Melesse
- Afar region is cut off from Ethiopia thanks to Ato Melesse this again against the will and the outcry of the inhabitant, Afar population, well known to be an ardent Nationalist Ethiopian.
- We went to war for Badme Tigray just to teach a lesson to his old body and compatriot Ato Issayas of Eritrea, 70 thousands Ethiopian lost their life, afterward, one morning His Imperial, His excellency King of kings Ato melesse Legesse Zenawi awarded the Badme Tigray to Eritrea. What?… It’s only 70 thousands of those…. its nothing more, we have plenty of them, we can afford it, thanks to Ato Melesse
- For the first time in Ethiopian long history, we went to war to invade another sovereign neighborly state Somalia, thanks to His Imperial Legesse/Melesse
- Recently His Imperial closed a sale contract with Sudan through his sale agents for a mass of Ethiopian Northern land, thanks to Ato Melesse.
What the hell… of one, the oldest human remain called Lucy, well the highest bidder will get it, may be a replica of Lucy will go back to Africa Ethiopia. What a shame Ato melesse, if your are not an Ethiopian at least you are for sure an African, I don't think the Great Britain will consider you as one of its subject, you lost an opportunity while Mr. Blaire was in office. It’s a shameful for the whole of Africa; you don’t have any right to ship this African treasure by the back door without the people’s knowledge.
Mr. Melesse this is what treason is about, even your rubber stamp parliament was not informed.
Lucy should remain in Africa / Ethiopia, this is the most degrading way to make quick money, yes Lucy could have greatly benefited Africa / Ethiopia by remaining there in its respected place and attracting tourists from all over the world.
August 10th, 2007 at 6:44 PM