The human ancestor fossil known as Lucy left Ethiopia for display in a European museum, Ethiopian national media reported Friday, citing Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa.
Lucy’s skeleton, which is 40% complete, left Ethiopia on Friday and will be displayed at the Czech National Museum in Prague for approximately two months.
Lucy was recovered in Ethiopia in 1974 from what was an ancient lake near fossilised remains of crocodiles, turtle eggs and crab claws. She was a member of Australopithecus afarensis, an early human species that lived in Africa between about 4 million and 3 million years ago.
This is the second time Lucy has left Ethiopia. The first was in 2013, when she toured the United States.
‘Belongs to the world’
Lucy’s fragmented bones will be exhibited alongside Selam, the fossil of an Australopithecus baby that is about 100,000 years older than Lucy and was discovered in the same region 25 years later.
“As an iconic specimen, she belongs to the whole world, so sharing her with the rest of humanity is something that everyone would love to see,” said Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University.
While many experts believe Lucy’s trip to Europe presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people in Europe and beyond, there are safety concerns about the transportation of her fragile bones.
“The fragmented bones of Lucy are truly unique and need utmost care. Traveling to Europe has its own risks,” said Gidey Gebreegziabher, an archaeologist and PhD candidate at the University of Warsaw, Poland.
“She will also be exposed to different climate conditions, which could potentially have negative impacts on her preservation.”
Humanity’s roots
Even in Ethiopia, the public has only occasionally seen the real Lucy fossil. At the National Museum of Ethiopia, a replica of Lucy is exhibited while the actual remains are stored in a secure vault.
“I’ve seen how she was packed, so I have no worries about anything happening to Lucy anymore,” Yohannes said.
Early this year, the director general of the Czech National Museum, Michal Lukeš, in a statement announcing the exhibition of Lucy and Selam, expressed his appreciation of the Ethiopians for agreeing to “lend” the remains.
“These priceless exhibits give us a unique insight into the past and deepen our understanding of humanity’s roots,” said Lukeš.
