Maropeng launches “Treasures of our Past” fossil display
By Roy Barford
A fascinating fossil exhibit at Maropeng Visitor Centre, featuring the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest known skeleton of a land-living reptile and many other amazing artefacts, is open to the public from Thursday, December 2.
The skeleton of “Fred”, a 260-million-year-old Tapinocaninus pamelae, was unveiled to the media yesterday, more than 25 years after it was discovered in the Karoo.
“Fred” roamed the earth 70-million years before dinosaurs came into existence and a life-size model of him stands beside his skeleton at the exhibit.
Professor Bruce Rubidge, director of the Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research at the University of Witwatersrand, was among the team that discovered “Fred” near Beaufort West. He explains that it took 24 years to expose the skeleton, after it was found in a cliff face by John Nayphuli of the National Museum in Bloemfontein. “This is the first time we are showing this to the public,” he said.
The exhibit also boasts the world’s oldest fossilised dinosaur eggs, the oldest known evidence of parental care. The 195-million-year-old Massopondylus eggs can be clearly seen with the aid of a magnifying glass. Dinosaur bones most recently discovered in South Africa, belonging to the Rainbow Dinosaur (not yet officially named), are also on display.
Those interested in human evolution will be intrigued by several hominid fossils, including a skull, a tooth and strands of hair inside fossilised animal dung. A 60,000-year-old Sibudu bone arrow point, believed to the world’s oldest evidence of archery, is sure to create debate around ancient hunting methods.
The fossil exhibit is the product of a partnership between Maropeng Visitor Centre and Wits University. Professor Francis Thackeray, director of the Institute for Human Evolution at Wits, says he hopes the exhibit will encourage youngsters to consider a career in palaeontology and attract more students to his institute.
Maropeng is currently celebrating its fifth birthday and between December 1 and 12 will be offering tickets at 2005 rates, meaning members of the public can see these incredible artefacts for only R65 per adult, R35 per child and R50 per pensioner.
General Manager Erica Jago recommends that parents also take their children on the Cooper’s Cave walk and picnic, open every Wednesday during the public school holidays. She says a highlight of this walk is seeing fossils inside the rocks in the cave. Click below to book:
- December 4, 2010
- December 15, 2010
- December 22, 2010
- December 29, 2010
- January 15. 2010
Watch this video below in which Rubidge talks about “Fred”:
