January \ February 2001; : ' .T,h e . Pi'e I d„ M u s e jj m ' s M e m b e r P u b I i c a-t.i o n ^•i i jT^;' ,■ (T .LepitiT Spec:ies ^ 3ItiscQV®5?M in Madagascar Kremlin Gold From One Continent to Another From the President Willard L. Boyd, former Field Museum president, was elected as a fellow last fall to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a 220-year-old organization founded by John Adams that brings scholars and policy- makers together to study complex, long-range issues and recommend actions. A former lawyer and now a professor of law at the University of Iowa, Mr Boyd has served with distinction in two major posts in educational and scientific administration: president of the University of Iowa (1969-1981) and president of The Field Museum (1981-1996). He is also a valued member of numerous advisory bodies of national scope in public policy and cultural affairs. On behalf of The Field Museum, we congratulate Mr Boyd for this prestigious honor A Successful String of Special Exhibitions Over the past five years, it has been our privilege to present to our visitors a wonderful array of temporary exhibitions "exploring the world and Its people. " 2000 Africa: From Eritrea with Love Masks: Faces of Culture The Dead Sea Scrolls Picturing J. rex: Selections from the Lanzendorf Collection Kachinas: Gifts from the Spirit Messengers Star Wars: The Magic of Myth Americanos: Latino Life in the United States The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels 1999 Origins Women in Science: Conversations in Conservation Margaret Mee: Return to the Amazon With Patience and Good Will: The Art of the Arapaho The Tibetan Art of Healing The Art of Being Kuna: Layers of Meaning Among the Kuna of Panama Sue: The Inside Story Insects: 105 Years of Collecting Summer Festivals of Guerrero and Oaxaca: The Cycle of Propitiation and Sacrifice Sounds from the Vaults The Chicago Bears: 80 Years of Gridiron Legends Cartier 1900-1939 1998 Soul of the Game: Images and Voices of Street Basketball Viewing Olmsted: Photographs by Robert Burley Lee Friedlander and Geoffrey James Assignment Rescue: The Story of Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden Voyage of a Nation: The Philippines Charles Carpenter: Native American Portraits Poster Art from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema 1936-1957 China's Feathered Dinosaurs Swedish Folk Art: All Tradition is Change The Art of the Motorcycle La Guadalupana: Images of Faith and Devotion 1997 Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou The Illegal Camera 1940-1945: Photography in the Netherlands during the German Occupation Kayapo Imaging Dinosaur Families: The Story of Egg Mountain Archaeopteryx: The Bird that Rocked the World A Basketmaker in Rural Japan Sisters of the Great Lakes: Art of American Indian Women 1996 Modern Japanese Ceramics Travelers in an Antique Land: Early Travel Photography in Egypt In Their Own Voices Feeling the Spirit: Searching the World for the People of Africa Planet Peru Spiders! From the Good Earth Visual Fusion: Work by Chicago Latino Artists Cajun Music and Zydeco Portraits of Clay: Potters of Mata Ortiz Heaven on Earth: Orthodox Treasures from Siberia and North America Red White Blue and God Bless You: A Portrait of Northern New Mexico And 2001 will continue this tradition. John W. McCarterJr President & CEO What do you think about In the Fielcf? In the Field tries, whenever possible, to implement your feedback in making this a better magazine. Beginning with this issue, we moved the mailing label to the back since many readers wish to frame the stunning covers. It is now slightly smaller so it can fit into your file drawers, and the cover is heavier so it will last longer Your Guide to the Field, the calendar section in the middle, is now a pullout so that you can keep it in an easily seen, quickly accessible place. And the entire magazine is now printed on recycled paper in soy-based inks — carrying the Museum's conservation ethic to a practical, meaningful level. We will slowly be trying new things throughout 2001. Please send comments or questions to Amy Cranch, publications manager. The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, or via e-mail at acranch@fmnh.org. Inside Get a glimpse of the ambitious visionaries who helped build the Department of Anthropology over the past century. A Field Museum scientist is part of an international team that discovered new species of endangered lemurs. 'W^ ^ Efe J' r^m' John Moyer and Paul Martin filming a 1950 excavation. 7 Your Guide to the Field, which highhghts exhibitions, classes, lectures and more, is now a pullout section for quick, easy reference in planning your visits or continued learning opportunities. 17 Propithecus verreauxi veneauxi, Beza-Mahafaly Special Reserve, southwestern Madagascar. A 26-year volunteer wins a lifetime achievement award from the Illinois Association of Museums. Peter Gayford, volunteer, and Chapurukha Kusimba, associate curator of African anthropology. INTHEFIELD January/February 2001, Vol.72, No. 1 Editor: Amy Cranch, The Field Museum Designer: Depke Design Copy editor: Laura F Nelson In the Field is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is published bimonthly by The Field Museum. Copyright 2001 The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. Museum membership includes In the F/eW subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field Museum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to In the Field, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. Tliis issue's cover image, "Icon Wall, Paint Elevation: Kremlin Gold," is a watercolor and ink on illustration board designed and painted by David Layman of the exhibits department. Scenes like this can be viewed as backdrops in "Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels" through March 30, 2001. rjield useum The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District. The Field Museum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 ph 312.922.9410 www.fieldmuseum.org Museum Campus Neighbors Shedd Aquarium Shedd Aquarium kicks off its "Oceanarium Turns 10" celebration with "Totally Training" from January through March. Learn about the importance of training programs for marine mammals and for cats and dogs as well. Watch the dolphins and belugas learn an entirely new behavioral program during regularly scheduled marine mammal presentations. These are techniques you can try on your pet at home, with help from Ken Ramirez, Shedd's director of training and husbandry, during "Pet Training — The Shedd Way," on Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For details and to register, call 312.692.3333. For general information, check out www.sheddaquarium.org. Adler Planetarium The first Saturday of every month, explore the skies from 1 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Sears Family Days at the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum. Family activities cover a wide variety of topics, including the stars and constellations. Admission is free. Or, journey to the edge of the universe as you take a voyage in the world's first StarRider'^" Theater to Black Holes: Into the Dark Abyss. This ongoing sky show explores a force of gravity so power- ful that it captures everything that comes too close. For more information, call 312.322.0304 or visit www.adlerplanetarium.org. JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2(101 1 107 Years of Anthropological Leadership at The Field Museum By Warren Haskiii, Volunteer, and Stephen E. Nash, Head of Collections, Department of Anthropology THE FIELD MUSEUW/CSA8065 European Archaeology Hall, North Court, Field Museum of Natural History, fackson Park, about 1907. When The Field Museum was founded in 1893, its Department of Anthropology became the principal beneficiary of some 50,000 objects acquired for display during the World's Columbian Exposition of that year. These objects represented prehistoric and existing cultures from around the world, including spectacular archaeological specimens from the Ohio Hopewell (ITF Nov./Dec. 2000), ethnographic objects from numerous cultures of Central and South America (ITF May /June 2000) and musical instruments and pottery from places as varied as India, Japan and Palestine (ITF Nov./Dec. 1999). These priceless collections, as well as those built later in the 20th century, tell only part of the Field's illustrious history. Here we introduce you to some colorful personalities that have led the Department of Anthropology and helped the Museum attain a prominent place in the worldwide social science community. A Young and Aspiring Institution: 1890-1920 Prior to the Exposition, Harvard University's Frederick Ward Putnam, who was heading the Exposition's Department of Ethnology, supervised dozens of anthropologists in a whirlwind of col- lecting activity between 1890 and 1893. Archaeological and ethnological collections arrived from all over the world, ranging from Egypt to Ecuador, from northern Canada to Chile. The Field Museum was incorporated by 64 civic and business leaders who, at Putnam's prompt- ing, wanted to retain the Exposition's collections in Chicago to help build a world-class natural history museum. They persuaded Marshall Field I to donate 2 IN THE FIELD $1 million for its endowment and recognized this gift by naming the Museum after him. The first formally named curator was William Henry Holmes, who was hired away from the Smithsonian Institution for $4,000 a year. During his brief tenure. Holmes engaged in only one major collect- ing expedition. In 1 895, he co-lead the four-month long A. V. Armour Expedition to Mexico to collect Maya, Aztec and Zapotec objects from important archaeological sites, including Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Palenque, Mitla, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan. Holmes was a visionary who felt a great urgency for his fledgling Museum to engage in additional collecting activity. In an 1 897 letter to EJ.V. Skiff, the Museum's director. Holmes pro- posed an "extended exploration of certain little-known portions of South America. . .[for] the acquirement of Museum materials and the prosecution of the research work that properly accompanies the collection and use of such materi- als." He feared that other "museums of the world" were "sending expeditions to the most remote cor- ners of every country" with the likely result that "the vast body of the materials and data now avail- able for the study of Anthropology are doomed to disappear before proper representations can be secured." The Museum, he asserted, "as a young and aspiring institution, . . . can not afibrd to take a subordinate place in this field." To avoid this fate. Holmes hired collector extraordinaire George Amos Dorsey in 1896. Holmes resigned in 1897 to return to the Smithsonian, and Dorsey, then 29, became curator. George Amos Dorsey: 1896-1915 While Putnam's student at Harvard, Dorsey was the World Columbian Exposition's superintendent of archaeology and supervised collecting its objects from South America. After the Museum hired him, Dorsey was immediately dispatched to the western United States to amass archeological and ethnologi- cal material. He was sensitive to Holmes's concerns and determined to collect as much as he could dur- ing several forays into the field. He was a relentless collector and a formidable, aggressive motivator of his assistants. Under his leadership the Museum acquired nearly 20,000 objects, particularly from North and South America, the Philippines and Malaysia. In a 1931 obituary, Fay-Cooper Cole of the University of Chicago described him as "the greatest museum-builder of the period." In 1998, Dr. George Dorsey with TehuUche man, Patagonia, Argentina. Adjunct Curator of Anthropology Robert Welsh described Dorsey as "the principal architect of Field Museum anthropology collections." Dorsey remained curator until 1915. After that he cam- paigned for Woodrow Wilson's reelection, served in the U.S. Navy during World War I, was a professor of comparative anatomy at Northwestern University and worked as a correspondent for the London News. One of Dorsey 's acquisitions, almost unnoticed at the time but which has had a permanent impact as an exhibit and tool for building international relations, has a fascinating history. In the 1 890s elements of a large, engraved wood Maori meet- inghouse named Ruatepupuke were sold to a German dealer of Maori artifacts. In 1905, Dorsey purchased the house elements for $5,000, but the Museum's building — the Exposition's Fine Arts Palace, currently the site of the Museum of Science and Industry — had no exhibit space available for the house, and it was relegated to storage. After the Museum moved to its current Grant Park site, the house was reassembled as an exhibit on the ground floor in 1925. During renovations in the 1980s Ruatepupuke was again disassembled and its status became unclear. Following detailed consultations between the Museum, led by Curator John Terrell, and Maori leadership, the Maori generously suggested that it should stay in Chicago as an authentic Maori outpost and meeting place. Today Ruatepupuke stands behind the "Traveling the Pacific" exhibition at the west end of the Museum's upper level and is used for lectures, receptions and festive gatherings. By the end of 1908, 14 years after the Museum opened, the Department of Anthropology was no JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2001 3 longer a one- or two-person show, for Dorsey had hired curators who specialized in the anthropology of particular culture areas. Notable among the eight curators then on staff was Berthold Laufer, assistant curator of Asiatic ethnology. Berthold Laufer: 1907-1934 Dorsey hired Laufer in 1907, but before he ever visited the Museum, he led a benefactor-funded, three-year collecting expedition to China and Tibet. By the time he returned to Chicago in 1910, he had acquired more than 10,000 objects for the Museum's collections. When Dorsey resigned in 1915, Laufer became curator, a post that he held for the next two decades. Laufer is remembered today for his critically acclaimed scholarship in Asian archaeology and ethnology, as well as his extensive object acquisitions for the Museum. He read and spoke several lan- guages, including Chinese, and was a prohfic writer. At the time of his death, he was considered the leading Sinologist of his day. Just as curators and collections managers do today, he answered inquiries from experts and amateurs on the ethnology, archaeology, history and art of China and Tibet. As virtually the only Western anthropologist who could read and speak Chinese, Laufer became the recognized authority Vv'hom other anthropologists consulted concerning artifacts from China. Dr. Berthold Laufer hoUiii^^ a rhinoceros horn cup. From 1919 to 1921, all personnel were occupied with moving the Museum from its original Hyde Park site to its present home at Roosevelt Road and Lake Shore Drive. The new building opened on May 21, 1921, the first of three cultural institutions to be erected on what is now the Museum Campus (ITF May /June 1998). (Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium were added in 1929 and 1930, respec- tively. The Museum of Science and Industry opened at The Field Museum's former site in 1933.) After a hiatus during World War I, fieldwork resumed in 1922 when Museum scientists went on a joint expedition with colleagues from Oxford University to excavate the 5,000-year-old city of Kish, near Babylon in present-day Iraq. The 10-year project yielded more than 30,000 objects, ranging from bronze vessels to cuneiform-inscribed clay tablets, stone tools and jewelry. Half of the collec- tion remains at Oxford University; the other half still forms an important and heavily researched component of the Museum's collections. Laufer died in 1934. His tenure here is marked by a philosophical shift in the Museum's mission. Whereas Dorsey sought to collect as much as possible and have the Museum serve largely as an object repository, Laufer was more interested in the research potential and analytical significance ot the Museum's collections. Paul Sidney Martin: 1929-1972 In August 1929, just before the stock market crash, Laufer hired a recently minted University of Chicago Ph.D. named Paul Sidney Martin. During his 43-year tenure as curator, Martin became a giant in the development of North American anthropology and archaeology. He conducted field- work during 37 summers, excavating more than 70 archaeological sites in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. No archaeologist before or since has been able to match Martin's impressive research and Dt Paul Martin iurvcying Hi^ins Flat Pueblo, New Mexico. 4 IN THE FIELD publication record. In the process, Martin and his senior colleagues at the Museum trained an entire generation of archaeologists, thereby setting the agenda and charting the fiature of North American archaeo- logical method and theory for decades to come. Martin's 600,000-piece artifact collection includes more than 300 whole or reconstructed ceramic vessels, 40,000 corn cobs, 265,000 pot- sherds, 7,000 chipped stone tools, 170,000 pieces of chipped stone detritus, 1,500 projectile points, 1,000 bone awls, 400 grinding stones or manos, 57,000 animal bones, 16,000 botanical remains and 600 pieces of groundstone.Yet the vast majority of these objects has never been systematically analyzed in any meaningful way. Martin tended to catalog only those artifacts that he published; collections from 37 of the 70 sites he did not publish reports on were never processed. In 1997, Curator Jonathan Haas received a National Science Foundation grant and hired Stephen Nash to catalog and computer- ize the 600,000-object Martin Collection (ITF Jan. /Feb. 1999). The results, complete with site reports and an artifact image gallery, are now available on the Museum's website at www.field- museum.org, making the Martin Collection one of the most accessible archaeological collections of North American objects. Donald Collier: 1941-1970 Donald Collier, a specialist in South American ethnology and archaeology whom Martin hired in 1941, succeeded Martin as chief curator after he stepped down in 1964. Collier is remembered for developing ethical standards that many museums now apply to sensitive issues such as the acquisition of illegally or illicitly acquired antiquities and rep- resenting ethnic minorities in museums. In the early 1950s, Collier became one of the first museum curators to make materials available for radiocarbon dating analysis, a significant step in the evolution of museum philosophy. At that time, radiocarbon dating required destroying extremely large amounts — sometimes pounds — of material in the form of wood, bone or charcoal to obtain a date. Today, radiocarbon dating is much less destructive, using particle accelerators from which dates can be obtained on milligram-sized samples. Collier served as chief curator until 1 970. His resignation marked the end of a remarkable 76-year period in which only five people had held this posi- tion — Holmes, Dorsey, Laufer, Martin and Collier. Each man greatly influenced — or, one could say, determined — the allocation of the department's resources and its research agenda. For the past three decades departmental operations have proceeded more democratically as leadership rotated between ^^^^HHP ^-^ IH ■| ^^*| 1^^^ 1 I 111 1^ > 1 ! 1 .._^^^S Pi^k^^H I^Hi ^i^^ Donald Collier. curators on a regular basis. And in 1999, the department took a significant step when it hired Gary Feinman from the University of Wisconsin as its new chairman. The Future The Department of Anthropology is entering the new millennium with a renewed sense of vigor and purpose, though in many ways the magnitude of its chosen task might seem unfathomable to the likes of Holmes, Dorsey or Laufer. The department's roster now lists nine curators, two curators emeriti, 34 professional staff, 15 adjunct curators, 45 Ph.D. research associates, nine associates and more than 50 volunteers. Curators are conducting cutting- edge anthropological field research in China, Peru, Brazil, Puerto Rico, New Guinea, Africa, Mexico and North America, much of it focused on the development of politically and economically complex societies around the world. Anthropology stafl^ are also deeply involved in developing exciting new exhibits, including the recent "Sounds from the Vaults" exhibition (ITF May /June 1999), the upcoming "Pearls" and "Chocolate" traveling exhibitions, and the new, permanent Halls of the Americas. The collections management, conservation and registration staffs are processing collections that have been backlogged for years, and in some cases, decades. They are busy administering and developing collections-processing grants so that the Museum's stunning anthropolog- ical collection of 1.5 million objects is preserved in perpetuity. As the department continues to promote the understanding of cultural variations and change through time and across space, it will build upon the accomplishments of its founders to reaffirm its leadership in museum anthropology in North America and, indeed, the world. ITF lANUARY • FEBRUARY 21)01 Field Museum Scientist Helps Discover Three Unknown Lemur Species in Madagascar Carolyn Malkin, Freelance Writer Lemurs are primitive primates that live in trees and are found only on the island of Madagascar and the nearby Comoro Islands off the east coast of Africa. They have long noses, agile limbs and piercing round eyes and can be as big as a medium-sized dog or as small as a chipmunk. There are about 40 species of living lemurs, and more than half of them are endan- gered since Madagascar's poor, rapidly growing population is destroying their forest habitats. Until a few years ago, scientists believed that only two species of mouse lemurs (the smallest of their kind) lived on the entire island: Microcebus murinus, found in the dry forests along the western coast, and Aiicroccbiis riifiis, seen in the more humid eastern forests. But a group of researchers, including Steven Goodman of The Field Museum, Jorg Ganzhorn of the University of Hamburg and Rodin Rasoloarison of the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar and the Deutsches Primatenzentrum in Germany, recently completed the most detailed survey ever, reported in the December 2000 Intcrnalioiial Journal of Primatology, of mouse lemur populations in Madagascar's western forests. Comparing the physical characteris- tics of mouse lemurs from 12 geographic locations, the scientists found that seven different species — including three new to science — are living where only a few were thought to exist. "It's incredibly rare to describe a new species Microcebus nijiis, brown nioiisc Iciiuir, AndriVU1nu^y, Madagascar. Lemur catta, ring^-tailcd lemur, Beza-Mahajaly Special Rescnv, southwestern .Madagascar of primate, let alone three," says Goodman, who has documented Madagascar's amazing biodiversity for more than 10 years and helps Malagasy students do field research as part of the World Wide Fund for Nature's Ecology Training Program, based in the island's capital city of Antananarivo. Mouse lemurs are the most common primates on Madagascar, with as many as 400 individuals living in one square kilometer. But their nocturnal lifestyle makes them hard to observe. "At many sites when you walk through the forest with a headlamp on, you see their eyes bouncing aO around you," says Goodman. Rasoloarison did much of the fieldwork that led to the recent discoveries, surveying mouse lemurs at a dozen sites — from thick dry forests to thorny scrubland. Ganzhorn, the third co-author, has been studying lemurs for many years and coordinated field research at the Deutsches Primatenzentrum's field station in the Kirindy Forest, one of Rasoloarison's study sites. After analyzing physical characteristics of the mouse lemurs such as their teeth, skulls, length and body size, the researchers found clear-cut differences between the seven different species. "It was already clear from museum specimens that there was a tremendous amount of variation among mouse lemurs," says Goodman. "But previous assessments were based on too few specimens from widely scattered localities, many very discolored and as much as 150 years old. The data were not adequate to assess variation within a population." The three new species are Microcebus berthae, Microcebus sambiranensis and Microcebus tavaratra. The names of two other species, Microcebus myoxinus and (continued on page 15} 6 IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDETOTHEFIELD A Calendar of Events for January and February Inside Exhibits Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs Free Programs Don't let the cold winds of winter keep you at home. At The Field Museum, you'll find a variety of enjoyable and intellectually stimulating programs for all ages. Unless otherwise specified, call 312.665.7400 for information, tickets or to register for programs. Information is also posted on our website at www.fieldmuseum.org. From One Continent to Another Using objects of material culture to explore the peoples who made them is central to many Field Museum special exhibi- tions. Adding interpretive context can reveal complementary — or competing — priorities among both the Field's internal team members and the outside lenders to an exhibition. New con- text also challenges the design itself to reinforce the themes that unfold. Curators from the Kremlin museums first conceived "Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels" as a lavish testa- ment to the skill of Russia's decorative artists over time. To them, an object's technical, geographic or chronological details — such as what raw materials were used, where it was made or how styles evolved — were of primary importance. Less significant were the tales of the tsars and tsarinas or bishops and patriarchs who used these breathtaking wares to glorify faith and power. This may partly reflect an unconscious assumption that Europeans are familiar with their own history and do not neces- sarily need background information to illuminate the objects housed within their palaces and museums. It may also be a holdover from earlier, more conservative centuries, when many museums grew from state collections that were simply opened up to public view. American museum-goers, however, often expect interpretation that adds greater meaning beyond an object's design or style. This challenges exhibit developers to tell the story behind the objects and, as a result, build a deeper connection to the people and times from which they came. "When we reviewed the list of objects included in 'Kremlin Gold,'" says Project Administrator David Foster, "we realized that many are linked with famous people or events from Russian his- tory and that fleshing out their meaning would resonate with many visitors." In one grouping, for example, visitors see a bishop's stole, miter, pendant and cross, each embellished with rare jewels and intri- cate engravings. It's easy to imagine a Russian Orthodox bishop bearing this entire ensemble and passing through the faithful in an ancient Moscow cathedral. Gold bratina with lid, Moscow Kremlin Workshops, J 694. Ultimately our Kremlin colleagues came to understand our goal of enlightening visitors to Russian history through its art. They also supported a unique design concept. "When the exhibit team was discussing a design approach," says Foster, "the idea arose that the touch of the hand should be evident throughout." Since the objects are so exquisite and the fine craftsmanship so strong, the team decided that nothing in the presentation should strike a jarring note. Thus, from the hand-painted backdrops (such as the one on the cover), to the silk-screened text panels and oil-painted portraits, to the ornamental railings, to the lighting and music, every detail of the production was hand-produced to support and enhance the artifacts. Visitors to the exhibition have sensed this subtle chemistry. Some have said that the lights, colors, music and weathered surface of the icon wall worked on their imaginations, briefly propelling them into the Russian world and intensifying their appreciation for the beautiful artworks on display in "Kremlin Gold." Collection loaned by The State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin. "Kremlin Gold" was organized for its U.S. tour by The Field Museum in partnership with The Houston Museum of Natural Science. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 20(11 7 Kremlin Gold Lecture Series Upcoming- The artifacts in "Kremlin Gold" are not ' only rare and beautiful, but are also deeply connected to Russia's cultural history. Join us for a series of lectures that will look at Russia's wealth of mineral resources, its artistic and literary culture and great figures from its rich history. Natural and Cultural Treasures: Gems In Russian Orthodox ( ] Religious Icons J^^l,!^' Reverend John J. Matusiak, St. Joseph Church, Wheaton, III. and f ^ , Joel Bartsch, Curator, Houston , ._- Museum of Natural Science , Learn the history behind the gilded treas- I ures that are used in Russian Orthodox traditions. Explore how Russia's wealth of ] mineral resources provides exquisite gems, precious metals and spiritual inspiration. Thursday. Jan. 11, 6:30 p.m. $12; students/educators $10; members $8 From Kremlin Gold to the Russian Silver Screen Yuri Tsivian, Soviet Cinema Specialist, University of Chicago Immerse yourself in Russian film, food, facts and fine arts. Join us for a daylong screening of several Russian film classics. We'll also visit the "Kremlin Gold" exhibition. Sunday, Feb. 11,11 a.m. -5:30 p.m. Without lunch— $18; students/educators $15; members $12 With lunch— $38; students/educators $35; members $32 Cash-bar vodka reception following event s In March: Great Figures in Russian History Dr James Cracraft, Professor of History and University Scholar, University of Illinois at Chicago Saturday, March 3, 2 p.m. $12; students/educators $10; members $8 The Face of Russia: Anguish, Aspiration and Achievement in Russian Culture Dr James H. Blllington, Scholar of Russian Culture and the Librarian of Congress This lecture is jointly presented with the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. Saturday, March 24, 2 p.m. $18; students/educators $15; members $12 PHOTOS COURTESY OF STATE MUSEUM, MOSCOW KREMLIN, ©2000. Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity Oprah Winfrey wears it. Maya Angelou and Jesse Jackson wear it. It can be seen at baptisms, graduations and weddings. It may suggest royalty, sacredness or status and has become the most recognizable of at! symbols of African identity. "Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity" will explore the cultural significance of kente, a vibrant, boldly patterned cloth made by the Asante and Ewe peoples of Ghana. Once known only to West Africans, today kente is produced in greater quantity, incorporated into more forms and exported to more places than any other African fabric. The exhibition, open April 13 through July 15, 2001, showcases approximately 500 objects, including traditional and modern kente cloth, looms, photographs, simulated marketplaces and dressed mannequins in popular and ceremonial settings. The first part of the exhibition traces kente's African roots and the artistry and techniques used to produce it. The second part explores its flourishing presence in the United States since its first introduction by the Black Nationalist and pan-African movements of the 1950s and '60s. Hundreds of variations — from hats, bags and umbrellas to drums, toys and furniture patterns — underscore its impact among African Americans. "The African American embrace of kente cloth represents the psychological return to and pride in African heritage," says Chapurukha Kusimba, associate curator of African anthropol- ogy. '"Wrapped in Pride' sets the stage for the inevitable reunion of African people wherever they are. It helps provide answers to a never-ending quest for recognition and, for some, a remedy for the restless soul." "Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity" was organized by The UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History and The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey. The exhibition and its national tour are made possible by Ford Motor Company. The exhibition has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. t ... , ......U'L ">».,H«" J'.l "I. ..'" "\.^«"' "^.^.• n'"n a* ii'"ii Man's kente cloth, Ewe people, Ghana fleft). Asante kente cloth, Ghana (below). 8 YDUK t;uii)tTcv Fli;i 1) .MUSEUM African Heritage Festival: A Common Thread Celebrate African American History Month with us! FREE with Museum admission. This annual festival celebrates contemporary African cultures and their connections to the United States. Join us for a fun-filled time of family performances, storytelling, scientific demonstrations and hands-on activities. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 3-4, 7 7 a.m. -4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 5-6, 10 a.m.-l p.m. This year's festival will focus on the art and use of traditional African textiles. Festival highlights include: LECTURES Madagascar Textiles Saturday, Feb. 3, 1:30 p.m. Field Museum Anthropologists Chapurukha Kusimba, Ben Bronson and Judy Odiand will explore how textiles relate to Africa's environment, economy and culture. Of Manes and Man-eating Sunday, Feb. 4, 1:30 p.m. Why did the infamous man-eating lions of Tsavo kill more than 100 people? And why don't these two male lions have manes? Find out about the research of Field Museum Zoologist Dr. Bruce Patterson. Chocolate Chips Theatre Company PERFORMING ARTS Spinning Tales Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 3 and 4, noon and 2 p.m. Explore the rich cultural history of Africa's textiles at this interactive family performance, specially commissioned from the renowned Chocolate Chips Theatre Company. Storytelling at the 2000 festival. African Storytelling with Thetu Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 3 and 4, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 5 and 6, 10:30 a.m. and noon Experience the engaging tradition of African storytelling. Thetu draws upon her Kenyan heritage to present stories of humor, courage, wisdom and African truths. SCIENTISTS ON THE FLOOR Birds of Africa Visit with Field Museum scientists and see some of Africa's most interesting birds. Dye-namic Plants! Learn how to use every-day foods to dye fibers, and take home the beginning of your own artifact. HANDS-ON FAMILY FUN Asante Symbols: Adinkra Stamps Adinkra stamps convey a message. Learn about the cloth, the symbols and African traditions. Discover the meaning behind the designs, many of which symbolize proverbs, ideas and African objects. Africa Mega Map Challenge Take the challenge and construct the continent of Africa using our mega puzzle map. See where The Field Museum is conducting research! World of Weaving Interpretive Station See and touch woven fabrics from differ- ent parts of the world. Learn how these textiles are created through an elaborate process. Discover the significance and importance of kente cloth. The Great Interchange Interpretive Station Learn about the origins of specific plants through a map activity and guessing game. Discover how people in Africa have exchanged foods and dramatically influenced global cuisine. Also look for other learning stations that explore how Africa's fabrics and textiles reflect its diverse cultures. African Heritage Festival: A Common Thread is made possible through the generosity of Abbott Laboratories. YOUR GUIDE TO THE FIELD MUSEUM 9 Performing Arts A Family Dinosaur Concert: Chicago Chamber Musicians Live narration, a vivid multi-media presentation and Chicago's finest musicians combine to tell the story of Sue the T. rex. Join us for a rousing performance of Tyrannosaurus Sue: A Cretaceous Concerto, with music and story by Bruce Adolphe. You'll also hear The Story of Ba bar, with text by Jean de Brunhoff and music by Francis Poulenc. Adults and children ages 3 and up Sunday, Jan. 21, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. All tickets are $10. Call 312.CALLCCM (312.225.5226) to reserve tickets. to QQ New Discoveries Lecture Ghana's Kingdoms of Gold Dr Christopher DeCorse, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Syracuse University Discover how the Fante people, who have lived on the coast of Ghana for cen- turies, influenced the cultural development of sub-Saharan Africa. These skillful traders built a lucrative commerce — first in gold and later in slaves— that brought diverse cultures into contact with each other. Dr. DeCorse has 20 years of field experience in Africa and was a Fullbright scholar and lecturer at the University of Ghana. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2 p.m. $12; students/educators $10; members $8 Courses Ancient Egyptian Magic III: The Realm of the Night Thomas Mudloff, Consulting Egyptologist/Website Moderator, Discovery Channel Join us for an in-depth look at three philosophical and magical texts that reveal what ancient Egyptians thought about life, death and life after death. The Egyptian Book of Am-Duat (Netherworld), the Book of Caverns and the Book of Gates are the first sacred Egyptian texts to chart the world beyond. Ponder the ancient Egyptian beliefs that darkness is the birthplace of light and that eternal life's home is in thereaira of death. Saturdays, Jan. 20-Feb. 3 (3 sessions), 10 a.m.~1 p.m. $80; members $68 Below is a calendar of the temporary exhibitions you will have an opportunity to visit in 2001. Some dates may change. Remember to call or visit our website for specific information. Star Wars: The Magic of Myth Through January 7 The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition Through January 15 Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels Through March 30 Special Workshops All About Movement Liz Cruger, Green Light Performing Company Discover tlie world around you through motion. Learn how reptiles, birds and dinosaurs would move in, around and through various habitats. You may experience life as a young T. rex or become a bird flying south for the winter. Wear comfortable clothing. This is yoga for families with a twist! For adults arid children ages 3-5 Saturday, Jan. 20 or Saturday, Feb. 17 (Each workshop is one session.) 9:30-10:30 a.m. $10; members $8 Fossil Basics David Dolak, Instructor, Science Institute, Columbia College Learn to identify different types of fossils in this introductory look at the field of paleontology. Explore fossils from trilo- bites to grapolites, mollusks and corals. You'll also get to prepare a real fossil fish for research or display. This course offers valuable experience for those interested in our fossil collecting trips. Wednesdays Jan. 31 and Feb. 7 (2 sessions), 6-8 p.m. $42; members $36 Love Potions: Essencia d'Amour Kristin Wrede, Aromatic Consultant Just as Cleopatra used oils from various herbs to fuel her love affairs, you too can take advantage of the ancient art of blending. Use jasmine, rose, sandalwood. ylang ylang and other mystical oils to create your own intriguing love potion- just in time for Valentine's Day. Saturday, Feb. 10 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $30; members $25 Shrines to Go Cyd Engel, Special Projects Manager, Milwaukee Art Museum Discover how cultures across the globe communicate through personal shrines and devotional imagery. We'll explore the Field's galleries for inspiration and then return to the studio to create our own mixed media shrines, which may be whimsical or serious. No drawing or art experience required. Come prepared to explore, experiment and discover! Saturdays, Feb. 17, 24 and March 3 (3 sessions), 9 a.m.-noon $80; members $68 Egyptian History: Third Intermediate Period Frank Yurco, Egyptologist Find out what life was like in Egypt from 1070-525 B.C., when the high priests at Thebes had as much political power as the royal house at Tanis. Yet this was also a period of relative stability and affluence that left behind some of the richest finds in the history of Egyptian archaeology. Learn about exciting findings and fasci- nating stories that reveal why this division of power did not also divide the country. Wednesdays, Feb. 28 -April 4 (6 sessions), 6:30-8:30 p.m. $85; members $72 T^ Kachinas: Gifts from the Spirit Messengers Through July 22 HK: Between Cultures: Children of Immigrants in America January 5 through May 6 Kinetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth into Art and Science March 23 through July S Special Workshops (continued) The Two Of Us Connie Sulkin, Siragusa Foundation Early Childhood Initiative Join us for an eight-week exploration of The Field Museum. This winter, we'll have fun learning about owls, animal tracks, bears and much more. Each week we will travel the Museum's exhibition halls and enjoy stories, songs, hands-on activities, an art project and a snack. For adults and children ages 3-5 Tuesdays, Jan. 23-March 13 TO- 1 1:30 a.m. or 1:30-3 p.m. (Choose one time.) S95 per child; $80 per member child For each child, one adult attends at no charge. Naturalist Certificate Program Deepen your knowledge about the natural environment and share this passion with others. The Field Museum, The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Botanic Garden are offering an integrated program of nature study for both beginners and more advanced naturalists. Participants can register for courses based on general interest; no prior course work is required. For a certificate, 15 to 17 courses must be completed. Please note: You must provide your own transportation to off-site class locatiom. Plant Families of the Midwest Patrick Leacock, Department of Botany, The Field Museum Use flower structures and other traits to identify common plant families on sight. With more than 2,500 species of flora throughout the region, this skill is useful for naturalists, gardeners, botanical artists and others. Naturalist Certificate Enrichment. Wednesdays, Jan. 10-Feb. 14, (6 sessions), 6-8:30 p.m $145; members $115 Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Deciduous Trees in Winter Rich Hyerczyk, Field Museum Instructor Learn how to identify trees by looking at their buds, fruit, leaf scars, bark and branching pattern. The text Winter Tree Finder by May Thielgaard Watts and Tom Watts may be purchased at the first class. Naturalist Certificate Enrichment. Tuesday, Jan. 23, 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Jan. 27-Feb. 17 (5 sessions), 9 a.m.- noon. $145; members $1 IS Field Ecology: Winter Liane Cochran-Stafira, Department of Biology, St. Xavier University How does an animal's shape help it stay warm? How does wind affect the shape of a tree? Examine how the physical envi- ronment influences the lives of plants and animals. The text Ecology and Field Biology by R.L. Smith may be purchased at the first class. Naturalist Certificate Requirement, both tracks. Thursdays, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 from 7-9 p.m. and Sundays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 from 9 a.m.-l p.m. (4 sessions) $125; members $105 Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Idiefitity Ap' i 13 through July In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World j May 18 through October 28 ^l^ Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden May 25 through September 3 ^^ Special Workshops (continued) StorfTTme e: Facts, Fables and Fiction Hear a story, sing songs and make an art project to take j home — all in 20 minutes. This program for young children and their families is sponsored by the Siragusa Foundation Early Childhood Initiative. One adult for every three children, please. Meet in the "Living Together" exhibition on the main level. ij£l^ p.m. ei^ery Saturday and Sunday ^iffZAdditional programs: 7 p.m. Jan. 2-5 yrjrfree with Museum admission Swedish Folk Tales Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark Street Listen to tales from Sweden's rich folkloric tradition, brought to life on the stage. This program is part of the Cultural Connections series that takes you to area museums to examine cultural artifacts, observe cultural traditions, sample ethnic food and participate in lively discussions. Sunday, Feb. 18, 3-5 p.m. $17; members $15 To register, call 312.665.7474. Naturalist Certificate Program (continued) Northern Winter linois Fauna: Chet Ryndak, Superintendent of Conservation (retired). Forest Preserve District of Cook County Study area mammals and birds to dis- cover how they've adapted to survive in their environment. The recommended text is Life in the Cold: An Introduction to Winter Ecology by Peter J. Marchand. Naturalist Certificate Requirement, both tracks. 1/l/ednesdays, Feb. 21 and 28, 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturdays, Feb. 24-Mar 10, 9 a.m.-noon (5 sessions) $125; members $105 I Coursework completed at any campus will earn credit toward The Morton Arboretum Naturalist Certificate. NCP Courses at The Morton Arboretum Call 630.719.2468 for more information. Field Ecology: Winter • Northern Illinois Fauna: Winter • Conservation Biology • Nature Writing: Interesting Explanations • Plant Families of the Midwest • Conifers in Winter • Deciduous Trees in Winter • Introduction to Botany • Stewardship Forum • Natural History Photography • Astronomy NCP Courses at the Chicago Botanic Garden Call 847.835.8261 for more information. Introduction to Botany • Northern Illinois Fauna: Winter (TENTATIVE) • Nature Writing: Interesting Explanations • Tree Identification and Ecology • Plant Families of the Midwest Forest Preserve District of DuPage County JIM SCHULTZ/CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY mmmmm Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire June 14 through November 4 SIgmund Freud: Conflict and Culture October 3, 2001 through January 6, 2002 Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth October 20, 2001 through March 3, 2002 Cheyenne Opens August 10 Exhibition Tours — Free with Museum Admission The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Expedition Relive Shackleton's dramatic 1914 expedition with a guided tour. Saturdays, Jan. 6 and 13, 1 1:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Also Jan. 4, 9 and 1 1, 2:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Inside Ancient Egypt Unlock the secrets of ancient Egyptian mummies. Learn about life and afterlife in this great African civilization. Every weekday! January through March, 1 p.m. Northwest Coast Indians and Eskimos Discover a spectacular array of artifacts depicting two very different North American neighboring environments and cultures. Every weekday! January through March Mondays at 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 1 1:30 a.m., Wednesdays through Fridays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. "Ice Stalactites," Frank Hurly, 1916. DAILY HIGHLIGHTS TOURS Visit the exhibits that make this Museum one of the world's finest and hear the stories behind some of these fascinating objects from nature and human culture. Daily: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1 1 a.m. and 1 p.m. Hands-on Activities and More Interpretive Station Activities Every weekend you'll find a selection of hands-on activities throughout the Museum. For example, you may see a soil scientist at work, find out what your name would look like in Egyptian hieroglyphs or dissect an owl pellet to see what the bird ate. Check the infor- mational directories when you arrive at the Museum for a list of each day's activities. Every Saturday and Sunday! Pawnee Earth Lodge Experience life as the Pawnee Indians lived out on the Great Plains. Field Museum staff and docents bring history to life in this full-size replica of a tradi- tional Pawnee lodge. Join us around the campfire to examine tools and toys made of buffalo and hear stories of what it was like to go on a buffalo hunt. Every Saturday and Sunday! 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Weekdays at 1 p.m. Scientists on the Floor Visit with Field Museum scientists to learn about their exciting research. You'll get to see rarely displayed speci- mens from the Museum's collections. Every second Saturday of the month Jan. 13 and Feb. 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Artists on the Floor Visit with and observe artists as they create finely detailed scientific Illustra- tions. Find out the important role these drawings play in the scientific process. Every third Saturday of the month Jan. 20 and Feb. 17, noon-3 p.m. 14 YOUR GUIDE TO THE FIELD MUSEU.M Unknown Lemur Species in Madagascar (continued from page 6) Microcebus griseorufus, were resurrected from past research on mouse lemurs. A sixth, Aiicrocebns rafclobensis, was recently described by a research group from the University of Hannover in Germany, and the seventh is M. mminus, originally thought to be the only one living in Madagascar's western forests. Northwestern University evolutionary biologist Anne Yoder conducted an independent genetic analysis that confirmed the team's results. Research on lemurs is important from an evolutionary standpoint because they are the most primitive of living primates. "Understanding aspects of lemur biology and evolution gives us a window into the history of more advanced primates, like ourselves," says Rasoloarison. While mouse lemurs are seen everywhere on the island, it turns out that some species are restricted to very small areas. For example, M. griseomfus lives only in the dry, spiny bush at the island's extreme south- western end, and the reddish-colored M. berthac (named for Madame Berthe Rakotosamimanana of the University of Antananarivo, who has made significant contributions to the study of lemurs) is only known in Madagascar's Kirindy Forest. "Before recent research, we thought that M. murimis was the only mouse lemur in all of western Madagascar," says Rasoloarison. "It was assumed that, if one forest was destroyed, the species would still be OK as it could be found elsewhere. Now that we know so many species are involved, it gives new importance to protecting our isolated forests." Madagascar: so many species, so little time Madagascar's forests are home to an amazing variety of unique plant and animal life, including probably more than 12,000 species of flowering plants, half the world's chameleon varieties, 300 species of butterflies and nearly 100 species of mammals. Nearly 100 percent of the island's mammals are endemic, which means they exist only there and nowhere else on earth. Despite Madagascar's biological riches, it is one of the world's poorest nations, with a per capita income of approximately $240 per year. About 80 percent of the population are subsistence farmers, many of whom practice traditional "slash and burn" agriculture. As a result, only 10 percent of the island's forests remain, and recent estimates suggest that one to two percent of those are being destroyed each year. "Anything living in the forest in Madagascar is threatened due to the rapid loss of habitat," says Goodman. In fact, a lemur known as the golden- crowned or TattersaU's sifaka, first discovered just 12 years ago, may soon be extinct because its tiny population is restricted to a part of the country where the forest is rapidly disappearing. Goodman and other scientists are racing to docu- ment the plants and animals in Madagascar's most threatened areas — not only for scientific purposes but to help set conservation priorities. Their work could soon become the only record of many of these species. "At this point, it's not a race to save things; it's a race to know what's there," says Goodman. In addition to his own scientific research, Goodman has directed the Ecology Training Programme (ETP) of World Wide Fund- Madagascar in association with the country's University of Antananarivo since 1992. He advises 10 graduate students each year, helping them con- ceptuafize research projects, find funding, plan their fieldwork and publish the results. "I believe the country's greatest hope lies with its young people," says Goodman. "That's why I do what I do." ITF "Madagascar Mouse Lemurs," by Peggy Macmamara, Field Museum artist in residence. JANUARY • FEBRUARY 21101 15 Membership News ASTC Passport Program Participants — November 1, 2000 to April 30, 2001 Local restricrions may apply. Participating museums within 90 miles of each other are not required to offer free admission to each other's members. Museums with local reciprocity agreements are marked with an asterisk (*). Acquaint yourself with the admittance policies of participating sites. The Passport Program entides visitors to free general admission. It does not include special exhibitions, presentations, merchandise discounts or other discounts associated with museum membership unless stated otherwise. For non-US participants, or to see a complete list, call ASTC at 202.783.7200 ext. 112 or visit www.astc.org. ALABAMA Anntston Mus. of Nat. Hist. Ctr. for Cultural Arts Gulf Coast Exploreum Mus. of Sci. McWane Ctr. (Discovery 2000) Sci-Quest North Alabama Sci. Ctr. Southern Mus. of Flight U.S. Space & Rocket Ctr. ALASKA The Imaginarlum ARIZONA Ariz. Sci. Ctr. Flandrau Sci. Ctr. & Planetarium Lowell Observatory ARKANSAS Mid-America Sci. Mus. Mus. of Discovery CALIFORNIA Bay Model Visitor Ctr. Birch Aquarium at Scripps Calif- Acad, of Sci. Calif. Sci Ctr, Chabot Space & Sci. Ctr. Children's Mus. at La Habra Coyote Point Mus. for Env Educ. Discovery Sci. Ctr. Exploratorium Explorit Sci, Ctr, Fresno Metro Mus, of Art, Hist, & Sci, Humboldt State Univ. Nat, Hist, Mus, Lawrence Hall of Sci, Undsay Wildlife Mus, Reuben H, Fleet Sci, Ctr Sacramento Mus, of Hist,, Sci, & Tech, San Bernardino County Mus, Santa Barbara Mus, of Nat, Hist. Tech Mus. of Innovation Turtle Bay Mus, and Arboretum Carter House Nat, Sci. Mus. Redding Mus. of Art & Hist, Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp Redding Arboretum by the River COLORADO Discovery Ctr, Sci, Mus. CONNECTICUT Maritime Aquarium Sci. Ctr of Conn, Roaring Brook Nature Ctr. Sci, Ctr, of Eastern Conn, Yale Peabody Mus, of Nat, Hist. DELAWARE Del Agncultural Mus, & Village Del, Mus, of Nat, Hist Hagley Mus and Library DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Capital Children's Mus, FLORIDA Brevard Mus, of Hist. & Sci, Children's Sci, Ctr, Discovery Sci, Ctr,-CFCC Fairchild Tropical Garden Fla, Adventure Mus,, Charlotte Cty, Fla, Mus. of Nat, Hist, FOCUS Ctr Gillespie Mus. of Minerals Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone Imaginarium Hands-on Mus, & Aquarium Mary Brogan Mus, of Art and Sci, Miami Mus, of Sci, and Planetarium Mus, of Art & Sci-Brevard Mus, of Arts and Sci, Mus, of Discovery & Sci, MOSI (Mus, of Sci, & Industry) Mus, of Sci, and Hist, of Jacksonville Orlando Sci, Ctr, South Fla, So, Mus, GEORGIA Coca Cola Space Sci, Ctr, Fernbank Sci, Ctr, Mus, of Arts & Sci- Nat'l Sci. Ctr, (Fort Discovery) SciTrek, Sci, & Tech, Mus, of Atlanta IDAHO Discovery Ctr of Idaho ILLINOIS Lakeview Mus, of Arts and Sci, The Sci, Ctr, INDIANA Children's Sci. & Tech. Mus. of Terre Haute Imagination Station By ASSET Muncie Children's Mus. Sci, Central IOWA Family Mus, of Arts and Sci, Grout Musuems: Bluedorn So, Imaginarium Iowa City Area Sci, Ctr, Putnam Mus, of Hist, and Nat, Sci, Sci, Ctr, of Iowa Sci, Station KANSAS Exploration Place Sternberg Mus, of Nat, Hist, Univ, of Kan, Nat. Hist. Mus. KENTUCKY Highlands Mus. & Discovery Ctr, Louisville Sci, Ctr, LOUISIANA La, Arts and Sci, Ctr Sci-Port Discovery Ctr, MAINE Children's Mus, of Maine MARYLAND Excel Interactive Sci, Mus. Maryland Sci. Ctr. MASSACHUSETTS Children's Mus. EcoTarium Mus. of Sci. Nat'l Plastics Ctr. and Mus. Robert S, Peabody Mus. of Archaeology MICHIGAN Alfred P Sloan Mus. Ann Arbor Hands-on Mus. Cranbrook Inst, of Sci. Detroit Sci, Ctr, Exhibit Mus. of Nat. Hist. Flint Children's Mus. Hall of Ideas, Midland Ctr. for the Arts Impression 5 Sci. Ctr. Kingman Mus, of Nat, Hist, Mich, Space and Sci, Ctr. Southwestern Mich. College Mus. MINNESOTA Bell Mus. of Nat. Hist. Duluth Children's Mus. Headwaters Sci, Ctr. Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Ctr. Sci, Mus, of Minn, MISSISSIPPI Russell C, Davis Planetarium MISSOURI Discovery Ctr, of Springfield Sci, City at Union Station St Louis Sci, Ctr. MONTANA Mus, of the Rockies NEBRASKA Edgerton Explorit Ctr, Omaha Children's Mus. Univ of Neb. State Mus. NEVADA Children's Mus, of Northern Nev. Lied Discovery Children's Mus. NEW HAMPSHIRE Children's Mus, of Portsmouth Christa McAuliffe Planetarium SEE Sci, Ctr, NEW JERSEY Liberty Sci, Ctr Newark Mus. & Dreyfus Planetarium NEW MEXICO Explora Sci. Ctr. and Children's Mus. Las Cruces Mus. of Nat, Hist, N,M Mus, of Nat, Hist, and Sci. Space Ctr, NEW YORK Brooklyn Children's Mus, Buffalo Mus, of So, Tifft Nature Preserve Hudson River Mus, Mid-Hudson Children's Mus. Milton J. Rubenstein Mus. of Sci. & Tech./The Discovery Ctr, N,Y. Hall of So. N,Y. State Mus, NY Transit Mus, Northshore Sci, and Tech, Ctr. Roberson Mus. and Sci. Ctr Rochester Mus. & Sci. Ctr. Schenectady Mus. Sci. & Discovery Ctr. Sci. Discovery (Ztr of Oneonta Science Center Staten Island Children's Mus. NORTH CAROLINA Catawba Sci. Ctr Discovery Place Health Adventure Imagination Station Nat. Sci. Ctr. of Greensboro N.C. Mus. of Life and Sci, N,C. Mus. of Nat Sci, Rocky Mount Children's Mus, Schiele Mus, of Nat, Hist, & Planetarium SciWorks, Sci, Ctr & Env Park Western N,C, Nature Ctr. NORTH DAKOTA Gateway to Sci. OHIO Boonshoft Mus. of Discovery The Children's Mus. of Cleveland Cincinnati Mus. Ctr. COSI Columbus COSI Toledo Great Lakes Sci. Ctr. Health Mus. of Cleveland Inventure Place, National Inventors Hall of Fame McKinley Mus, OKLAHOMA Kirkpatrick Sci, and Air Space Mus, at Omniplex OREGON AC, Gilbert's Discovery Village Ore, Mus, of Sci, and Industry Univ, of Ore, Mus, of Nat, Hist, WISTEC, Willamette Sci. & Tech. Ctr PENNSYLVANIA The Acad, of Nat. Sci. Carnegie Sci. Ctr. Discovery Ctr. of Sci. & Tech. Franklin Inst. North Mus. of Nat. Hist, and Sci. Pittsburgh Children's Mus. Please Touch Mus. Reading Public Mus. Whitaker Ctr for Sci. and the Arts RHODE ISLAND Thames Sci. Ctr. SOUTH CAROLINA Roper Mountain Sci, Ctr SOUTH DAKOTA Children's Sci, Ctr, Kirby Sci, Discovery Ctr, South Dakota Discovery Ctr & Aquarium TENNESSEE The Children's Mus, of Memphis Cumberland Sci, Mus, East Tennessee Discovery Ctr Hands On! Regional Mus. Hands-On Sci. Ctr. Pink Palace Family of Mus. TEXAS Austin Children's Mus. Children's Mus. of Houston The Cook Arts, Sci. and Tech, Ctr, Dallas Mus, of Nat, Hist, The Discovery Sci, Place Don Harrington Discovery Ctr Fort Worth Mus. of Sci. and Hist. Houston Mus. of Nat, Sci. Insights El Paso Sci. Mus. McAllen Int'l Mus. McDonald Observatory Visitor's Ctr. The Mus. of Health & Medical Sci. The Science Place Sci. Spectrum Space Ctr Houston Witte Mus. UTAH The Children's Mus. of Utah Hanson Planetarium Utah Mus. of Nat. Hist. VERMONT Fairbanks Mus. and Planetarium Lake Champlain Basin Sci. Ctr. Montshire Mus. of Sci. VIRGINIA Danville Sci. Ctr. Sci. Mus. of Va. Sci. Mus. of Western Va. Shenandoah Valley Discovery Mus. Va. Air & Space Ctr — Hampton Roads Hist. Ctr Va. Aviation Mus. Va. Discovery Mus, Va, Living Mus, Va, Mus, of Nat, Hist, WASHINGTON Columbia River Exhibition of Hist., Sci. and Tech. (CREHST) Three Rivers Children's Mus. WEST VA. Sci. Ctr of W.Va. Sunrise Mus. WISCONSIN Discovery World: James Lovell Mus. Of Sci., Economics, & Tech. Milwaukee Public Mus. WYOMING Wyo. Sci. Adventure Ctr. 16 IN THE FIELD 26-Year Volunteer Wins Lifetime Achievement Award Amy Cranch, Editor Many of us remember something — a defining event, an influential person, a favorite movie — that inspired us to follow our life's interests. For Peter Gayford, a book on Troy that he read in high school stirred a fascination with history that has led him through, among other things, 26 years of volunteer service to The Field Museum. Last fall, the Illinois Association of Museums gave Gayford the Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award, a prestigious recognition for the nearly 10, 500 hours he has dedicated to the Field since 1974. He was recently appointed as an associate in the Department of Anthropology for his contributions. In the 1 970s, Gayford researched, photographed and proofread the Chinese and English texts for a catalogue of Chinese rubbings. He then helped sur- vey the Museum's Egyptian collection and restore the tomb in preparation for our renowned "King Tut" exhibition. In the 1980s he assisted in cata- loging a massive collection of clothes, pottery, weapons, religious articles and other items that Presbyterian missionaries had collected from various countries between 1850 and 1910. Since 1996, Gayford has worked with Chapurukha Kusimba, associate curator of African anthropology, on projects related to African weaponry. Inspired by a rich collection that includes arrows, bows, spears, shields and knives, Gayford and Kusimba are working to standardize the collection's descriptions, determine who made the weapons and where, understand their multiple uses and meanings and provide insight into how warfare shaped Africa's complex ethnic groups. "Peter and I have become quite good friends," said Kusimba. "Besides working on scientific issues, I value Peter's counsel as a senior colleague at the Field. His dedication to the collections and collections-based research is infectious." Gayford is a testimony to how volunteering can make a difference to many people, including oneself. "The Field Museum allows me to follow my interests and think for myself," he said. "1 always feel comfortable. It's like a family here." Peter Gayford (left), volunteer, and Chapurukha Kusimba, associate curator of African anthropology, demonstrate how the markings on shields might indicate a particular clan, an individual's status or how it was used. Volunteering at The Field Museum Volunteers provide the vital link that helps bring The Field Museum alive for millions of visitors each year. Opportunities are available in nearly every department, both in the public areas and behind the scenes. Whether interpreting an exhibit, assisting with school or public programs, providing general administrative support or Involved in the care or research of our collections, volunteers learn about our planet's remarkable natural history while also helping to sustain the Museum's ongoing operations. Volunteers generally work two to four days per month and are asked to commit one year to the Museum. Short-term or more flexible commitments may also be available. Benefits include, among many, free admission, discounts in our stores and restaurants, reduced fees for educational programs and invitations to special previews and events. You must be 16 to apply. For information or to apply call 312.665.7277. You may also access the volunteer application and consent form through the "Museum Information" section of our website at www.fieldmuseum.org. JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2(101 17 A Real Underground Adventure It's easy to get lost at the Field if you're not familiar with its layout. You may be looking for the restroom but find vourself in the Eric and George Petwkie of Rochester, .\/i///;., were greeted by this bug as the iniUionth msitors to "Underground Adi'eiitiire." lunchroom. You may stumble across an e.xhibit room that you've never seen before. And just when you thought you were on the first floor. . . That's what happened to George Penokie and his 10-year- old son. Eric, when the\- were \-isiring bom Rochester. Minn. But a series of \\Tong turns unex- pectedly put them in the right place at the right moment. The Penokies were the 1 -millionth \dsitors to enter "Underground Ad\enture." our permanent e.xhibition that opened in 1999. A giant bug and several media were on hand to grant the luck%- father-son duo a trip for four to the Grand Canyon. "What if we had hit one more stop light or gone to a different e.xhibit?" asked George. "If we had done any litde thing different, we wouldn't have won. " Eric, who has never been to the Grand Canyon, was ecstatic. "I saw the bug and couldn't figure out what was happening. Then I saw my dad's name on the certifi- cate and w'as Uke, "We won!'" Let's just hope the bugs the Penokies encounter in the Grand Canyon aren't as big and talkative as the one they met in "Underground Adventure!" Making A Cultural Connection Japani iancing. .Museums are wonderfiil places to learn about contemporary- com- munities, and Chicago is one of the worid's premier museum cities. The Field's Center for Cultural Understanding and Change, along with 15 ethnic museums and culmral centers, offers a unique program called Cultural Connections. Acting as an "urban anthropologist" you can tra\el to different culmral institutions to meet people fiom diverse back- grounds and discover reasons behind cultural diversity; Using the anthropologist's technique of parricipant-obser\"a- rion, you can examine museum coUecnons, obser\'e cultural traditions and partake in fascinat- ing discussions. A wonderfiil assortment of ethnic foods is ser\-ed at each event. Tickets are S17/S15 for members. Pre-registrarion is required. For more information, caU 312.665.7474. e-mail anthioafiiinh.org or \-isit \\'^\^v.fieldniuseum.org. Swedish Folk Tales Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark Street Tales fiom Sweden's rich foUdoric tradition are brought to fife on stage. Sunday, Feb. 18, 3— 5 p.m. Ukrainian Immigration to Chicago Ukrainian National Museum, 721 N. Oakley Boulevard Reflect on why Ukrainians came to Chicago and, more importandy. why they stay. Saturday, March 10, 1—3 p.m. Purim Celebration Spertus Museum, 618 S. Michigan Avenue Celebrate the annual Jewish holiday of Purim. commemorat- ing Queen Esther's rescue of Persian Je\\T\- fixsni certain death. TInirsday. March 29, 6— 8 p.m. Chicago's Global Communities Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue Learn about how Chicago's rich ethnic diversity' has grown since 1945. Tluirsday, April 5, 6— 8 p.m. Amber and Its Place in Lithuanian Culture and Art Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, 6500 S. Pulaski Road Explore the historical, cultural and artistic significance of Lithuania's only national gem. Wednesday, April 25. 6— 8 p.m. Shared Stories — A Joint Event Korean American Resource and Cultural Center and Filipino American Historical Society, 3952 N. Ashland Hear humorous experiences of Korean and Filipino immigration. Tluirsday, May 17, 6-8 p.m. Chicago's Southeast Side: A Community Story Southeast Historical Society, 39958 E. 106th Street Go on a student-led historical tour of Chicago's Southeast side. Saturday, May 19, 10 a.m.— 2 p.m. 18 IN THE FIELD Kremlin Gold Ball Reaps a Fortune More than 1,000 guests came to The Kremlin Gold Ball on Oct. 20, 2000, to help The Women's Board raise more than $410,000 for The Field Museum's research and education programs. The gala marked the opening of "Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian CJems and Jewels," as guests delighted in gazing at the opulent objects on display, including thousand- year-old church icons, diamond- encrusted crowns of the tsars and two Faberge Easter eggs. Other elements of the evening reflected the exquisite beauty and detail of the exhibit itself. George Jewell Catering Services LTD catered a superb dinner, and Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide donated the fine wines. Flowers by Heffernan Morgan, Inc. provided the stun- ning decor, flooding Stanley Field HaO in a sea of gold beneath a halo of eight chande- liers suspended from the ceiling. Guests packed the floor, dancing to The Bob Hardwick Sound. 1 Caryn Harris (left) and Diana Mayer, co-chairmen oJTIie Kremlin Gold Ball, view the g^old sarcophagus cover made for Prince Dmitry, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible. 2 Barbara Pcarlman (right), presidctit of The Women's Board, with her husband, Jerry. 3 Mayor Richard M. Daley and Field President and CEO John McCarter welcome Dr Irina Rodimtseva, director of the Moscow KremUn's State Historical-Cultural Museum Preserve, to the ball. Investing in the Field: The Annual Fund What is the Annual Fund? The Annual Fund strengthens The Field Museum's mission to offer education, exhibition and research programs by supporting its ongoing operations. We need your contributions to help refur- bish collections, develop public programs and maintain and improve our historic building. How is the Annual Fund different from Membership? The Annual Fund gives you the opportunity to further support the Field beyond the cost of membership. A contribution to the Fund nicludes benefits of a one-year family membership and invitations to exclusive programs and previews. If you choose to v/aive your benefits, your entire contribution is tax-deductible. Annual Fund Levels: Field Contributor $100-249 Field Adventurer $250-499 Field Naturalist $500-999 Field Explorer $1,000-1,499 Founders' Council $1,500 and above How can I make a contribution? Contributions to the Annual Fund can be made by cash, check, credit card or appreciated securities. A matching gift from your company could double your contribution and place you at a higher level. Please check with your employer to see if it pro- vides this opportunity. For more information or to make an Annual Fund contribution, please contact Heather Scott at 312.665.7784. ff^ Aniuial fund supporters attended a private viewing of "Kremlin Gold" and other special exhibits on Oct. 30, 2000. Tlie evening also featured a lecture by Alexis de Tiesenhausen, director of Russian art for Christie's NewYork, on Russian art history's influence on Faberge. JANUARY • FEBRUAl^Y 201)1 19 From the Archives Mark Schnwltzcr, Writer, Development Department The small statues with Bill Turnbull, curator emeri- tus of fossil mammals, pose interesting questions. What was the man with the headphones hstening to before he fell asleep? What is the bearded man look- ing at? And where is the monkey taking the man with the helmet? The answer to all three is space. In 1963 the Museum's Department of Geology, headed by Dr. Rainer Zangerl, created a series of exhibits on space geology to celebrate Chicago's Space Month. Among the displays were light- hearted sculptures representing the history of space exploration, including Greek astronomer Hipparchus, who estimated the motions and ^.^^KXtr rt'v^iVify ". distances of planets; Galileo, who invented the telescope; and a modern man urged on by his pioneering cousin, the monkey. Turnbull recalls that the sculptor who created the figures, a former medical illustrator named Tibor Perenyi, had escaped from Hungary after the Soviets suppressed an uprising there in 1956. Perenyi then became the Museum's geology artist. Perenyi asked geology staff to model for the sculptures. Zangerl, for example, represented Galileo. Hipparchus, Turnbull believes, was really Robert Dennison, former curator of fossil fishes. And Turnbull himself inspired the sleeping NASA man. "This is the man who keeps in touch with the astronauts in outer space. Of course, there's not much to do," he laughs, "so you go to sleep." Who was the slim astronaut being led to duty by the space-sawy chimp? While the helmet makes it difficult to confirm, Turnbull thinks it was really Eugene Richardson, "because he was the skinniest guy in the department... Even the space suit itself is skinny despite their normal bulky design." We have witnessed incredible milestones in space exploration. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, laying the grounds for the international race to space. In 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin made the legendary landing on the moon and returned with rock and soil samples. Probes have explored Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and other areas of the solar system. Reusable space shuttles have enabled astronauts to perform dangerous, complex work in space. The Hubble telescope collects more data than is possible from the ground, shedding light onto the origins of our universe. Even more importantly, coopera- tion has replaced competition, as U.S. and Russian astronauts work side-by-side and 16 nations have banded together to bring about the International Space Station. In the early 1960s, Museum research focused on meteorites, "visitors from an extinct planet," as the only tangible source of knowledge about other planets. Today, Meenakshi Wadhwa continues to study pieces of Mars, asteroids and the moon that have arrived on Earth as meteorites. She hopes they will reveal information about how the solar system and its planets were formed and is establishing a state-of-the-art age-dating laboratory to uncover glimpses of the creation of the universe. BillTiiriibiill, curator emeritus of fossil mammals, houses these statues from a 1963 exhibition on space f^eolo{;y in his office. The reclining man was modeled after him. 20 IN THE FIELD Ask a Scientist Send your questions to Amy Cranch, The Field Museunn, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, or via e-mail at acranch@fmnh.org. Due to the volume we receive, only the questions chosen for In the Field will be answered. An archive of previous questions can be found in "quick links" on our website at www.fieldmuseum.org. Why do shorebirds hang out so far from the water, such as at the Skokie Swift CTA station? Was this area once a wetland? The term "shorebirds" refers to members of the order Charadriiformes, which represents some 300 species worldwide, including sandpipers, plovers, terns and gulls. Although many species are found near water, others have discovered feeding and living opportunities away from water. In our area, ring- billed and herring gulls fly from their lakeshore roosting areas daily to forage in places like city dumps and mall parking lots. The killdeer, a plover species common around Chicago in the non-winter months, also forages or nests in open habitats that are not necessarily near water, including cemeteries, parks and parking lots. The Skokie Swift station could have been a wedand at some point, but having evolved to use a variety of open urban habitats, shorebirds probably frequent the area today for its foraging opportunities. John Bates Assistant Curator, Department of Zoology, Division of Birds What North American insects are most deadly to humans? There are no North American insects that are normally fatal to humans. However, while most people are not particularly sensitive to wasp, bee or ant stings, some individuals may succumb to anaphy- lactic shock or die unless treated immediately. The harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex) of the western United States is generally considered to have the most painful sting, with intense pain lasting up to four hours. Also, mosquitoes carry potentially dangerous diseases. In Illinois, for example, the house mosquito (Cnk'x pipiens) carries a form of St. Louis encephali- tis, and the eastern tree-hole mosquito (Aedes triseriatiis) carries LaCross encephalitis. Both diseases can produce flu-like symptoms and may be fatal in a small percent of the population. Philip Parrillo Curatorial Assistant, Department of Zoology, Division of Insects Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation A B Filing date: Oct. 31, 2000. Total copies printed 46,158 56,000 1 certify that all infor- mation furnished here Title: In the Field. Publication Paid and/or requested circulation: is true and complete. number: 898940. Frequency of Outside-county mail subscriptions 16,287 19,453 /s/ Amy Cranch, editor. publication: bimonthly. Number of In-county subscription 21,166 24,660 In the Field. issues published annually: six. Annual subscription price: $20. Sales through dealers, carriers. A = Average number of copies of each issue street vendors, counter sales and Office: 1400 South Lake Shore Dr., other non-USPS paid distribution none none published during the preceding 12 months. Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Other classes mailed through USPS 131 106 B = Actual number of Publisher: The Field Museum, 1400 Total paid and/or requested copies of single issue South Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL circulation 37,584 44,219 published nearest filing 60605-2496. Free distribution my mail: date. Editor: Amy Cranch, The Field Outside-county 594 615 Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605-2496. In-county 2,917 2,295 Other classes mailed through USPS none none Managing Editor: none. Free distribution outside the mail 833 5,000 Known bondholders, mortgages and other security holders: none. Total free distribution 4,344 7,910 The purpose, function and nonprofit Total distribution 41,928 52,129 status of this organization and the Copies not distributed 4,230 3,871 exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during Total 46,158 56,000 the preceding 12 months. Percent paid 89.64 84.83 JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2001 21 Field Museum Tours at a Glance For more information or free brochures, please call Field Museum Tours at 800.811.7244, or send them an e-mail at fmtours@sover.net. Please note that rates, prices and itineraries are subject to change and that prices are per person, double occupancy. Costa Rica Adventure Feb 25-March 6. 2001 (10 days) Costa Rica's natural heritage is one of astonishing diversity. Our itinerary includes the jungle river channels of Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast, Poas Volcano and the cloud forests of Monte Verde high in the central mountains and Palo Verde's wildlife areas on the Pacific. Optional exten- sion to Tamarindo Bay. Museum Leader: Botanist William Burger Price: $3,995, including airfare from Chicago Baja: Among the Great Whales March 9-17, 2001 (9 days) Each winter gray whales migrate south from their arctic feeding grounds to breed and rear their young in Baja's sheltered lagoons. Zodiac landing craft give you a water-level perspective on these incredible mammals. Enjoy snorkel- ing and kayaking among Baja's uninhabited desert islands. Price: $2,990 and higher, not including airfare An Insider's Tour of Santa Fe April 29-May 4, 2001 (6 days) Led by Field Anthropologist Jonathan Haas, a native of New Mexico, this short trip offers a splen- did combination of archaeological sites, museums, cultural centers, artist and craftsmen's workshops, outstanding restaurants and a fine hotel. Highlights include the prehistoric ruins of Poshu- Ouinge and Sapawe, ancient Taos, historic Pecos, the San Felipe Pueblo's Green Corn Dance and Georgia O'Keefe's house. Museum Leader: Anthropologist Jonathan Haas Price: TBA Circumnavigation of Crete May 3-13, 2001 (11 days) Circumnavigate Crete aboard a luxu- rious 34-passenger yacht, tracing the rise and fall of the powerful Minoan civilization. Visit Lasithi, birthplace of Zeus. View lofty mountains, dramatic gorges, quaint villages and breath- taking ocean views. Visit the wildly beautiful Kourtaliotiko Gorge, the Frangokastello fortress and Europe's only palm-tree forest. Museum Leaders: Archaeologist David Reese and Anthropologist Catherine Sease Price: $3,795 and higher, not including airfare The Geology and History of New Zealand Nov 3-21, 2001 (19 days) New Zealand's diversity will astound you. On North Island visit Goat Island Marine Reserve, Tongariro National Park, the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne, Wellington's Museum of New Zealand and Botanic Gardens. On South Island tour Christchurch's Canterbury Museum, Dunedin, Oueenstown and Milford Sound. Museum Leaders: Anthropologist John Terrell and Geologist Scott Lidgard Price: TBA mr^^ T.^'^'< &''t''^ M __^Zj^j^ p ^^ ^ ^■l m i Amazon by Riverboat Dec 1-9, 2001 (9 days) Travel aboard a 14-cabin riverboat exploring the remote upper reaches of the Amazon River system. Experience the forest and wildlife of the Amazon Jungle. Optional exten- sion to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Leader and price: TBA "My husband, sister and I went on the Amazon riverboat tour last December. Field Museum tours are first class. Tlic riverboat was clean and comfortable with a great crew. Tlie fi}od was good. TIte company is always interesting. Tlie villages we visited were filled with e.xcited children and adults who were pleased we were there; our reception was always warm and comfortable. It only rained hard once and cleared up, and we had little trouble with mosquitoes. Our wildlife exxtusions were fun and informative. I never felt unsafe in Lima. Tliis is the type of adventure you couldn't do alone without a package like this. In short, go for it!" Two Field Museum curators, leading experts on the cultural and geological history of New Zealand, share their vast experience and insights as well as special contacts during our custom-designed tour of both North and South Islands. INTHEFIELD March April 2001 The Field Museum's Member Publication I Hilltop Terrace Excavations in Mexico Kinetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth into Art and Science FROMTHEPRESIi:)ENT Support Grows fo r M useum Expansio n P l a ns There has been a lot of excite- ment over the past few months surrounding the plans to renovate Soldier Field. We are indeed looking forward to the 2,500- car parking facility across the street and recapturing 19 acres of parkland on the Museum Campus. As you may know, we have big plans also — to build a new research center for our invalu- able anthropology, zoology and geology collections; to construct a new accessible entrance on the building's east side for school children and people with special needs; and to retool the Museum's loading dock, which each day accepts scientific col- lections, exhibit components, retail deliveries and, last spring, our T. rex named Sue. The new East Entrance has become a high priority since the changes planned for the Museum Campus and resulting traffic flow would otherwise force busloads of schoolchildren and special-use visitors to make the long, arduous walk to the handi- cap-accessible West Entrance. Our plans have received a great deal of favorable coverage in the local media. In the Chicago Tribune on Jan. 14, the headline read, "Space to grow becoming thing of the past at Field." The extensive article underscored both the interna- tional significance of the Museum's 21.8 million objects and specimens and the fact that there is inadequate room to house, conserve and research new collections. The Chicago Sun-Times story on Jan. 8, "Field lobbies for $60 million," described the Museum's work to obtain State funds for the building project. And in a Jan. 22 Crain's Chicago Business editorial, "Backing Field Museum's fund- ing bid is a natural," the editorial board voiced strong support of our State request. "For Governor George Ryan and the General Assembly," it said, "one of the bottom-line questions will be: Is this a good investment for the public? The answer is yes." During the State's legislative session, we will be looking to our Museum members and other close friends for support in Springfield. In the Museum's great Stanley Field Hail, thou- sands of visitors have already signed postcards that are being delivered to legislators, the Governor and the Mayor. We need all of your help to get this vital support from the State of Illinois. Write, call or email your elected state officials, including Governor Ryan, asking for their support. (Visit the "find districts/officials" link at wvw\/.elections. state.il. us for contact information.) Please also contact the four legislative leaders — Senate President James "Pate" Philip, Senate Minority Leader Emil Jones, Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and House Minority Leader Lee Daniels. We appre- ciate your support. John W. McCarter, Jr. President & CEO MSLhnLd o voii think ahnut fn thp Fipinf? We mentioned in our last issue that we will be introducing content and design improvements to In the Field throughout the year. You might notice that we are using new fonts, colors and icons, representative of the Museum's standards, and have streamlined the design of several sections. Please send comments or questions to Amy Cranch, publications manager. The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, or via email at acranch@fmnh.org. INTHEFIELD March/April 2001, Vol.72, Mo. 2 Editor: Amy Cranch, The Field Museum Designer: Depke Design Copy editor: Laura F. Nelson In the Field is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is publislied bimonthly by The Field Museum. Copyright 2001 The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. Museum membership includes In the Field subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field Museum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to In the Field, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, !L 60605-2496. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. The cover image, courtesy of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, is from "Kinetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth into Art and Science," open March 23 through July 8, 2001. The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District. The Field Museum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 www.fieldmuseum.org H fe Field useum Majestic hilltop ruins in Mexico reveal much about their ancient inhabitants. Photo at left: An offering^ found at El Palmillo. 6 Gina Grillo shares what drew her to photographing immigrant children. Photo at left: India Independence Day. 7 Find out about movable, life-size dinosaur sculptures, Earth Month activities, fieldtrips and more in Your Guide to the Field. 16 Millions of students nationwide are taking e-fieldtrips with The Field Museum. Photo at left: Participants in an e-fieldtrip about Sue. 18 They may not have been nominated for an Academy Award, but the dozen or so films shot at the Field span 8 decades and many subjects. Museum Campu s Neig hb ors Shedd Aquarium Shedd Aquarium's Oceanarium turns 10 in 2001. To celebrate, Shedd offers a variety of special events in its renowned Pacific Northwest coastal habitat. Guests can watch the beluga whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins learn an all-new behavioral program during regularly scheduled Oceanarium presentations, then talk with animal-care staff members afterward about the techniques used to train marine mammals and other animals. The new presentation debuts on April 27, along with new exhibits in the Oceanarium's underwater viewing gallery and movies in Phelps Auditorium. Check Shedd's website, www.sheddaquarium.org, for specific "Oceanarium Turns 10" events, or call 312.939.2438. Adier Planetarium Enjoy the spectacle of the starry sky and experi- ence Far Out Fridays at the AdIer Planetarium on the first Friday of every month in 2001. Scope out the family activities from 5 to 10 p.m., including: telescope viewing; unlimited shows in the historic Sky Theater and the world's first StarRider™ Theater; live lectures by AdIer astronomers; hands-on activities; special demonstrations; and gallery and Doane Observatory tours. Admission for Far Out Fridays is $13 for adults, $10 for children/seniors and $5 for members. A Family Star Pack is $40 (2 adults/2 children or 1 adult/3 children). For information, visitwww.adlerplanetarium.org or call 312. 922. STAR. MARCH/APRIL 2001 INT HEFIELD FEATURE Excavations at El Palmillo: A Hilltop Terrace Site in Oaxaca, Mexico Gary M. Fciiimnn, Chair and Curator of Anthropology; Linda M. Nicholas, Adjunct Curator of Anthropology LINDA M NICHOmS/K The liilltop terraced site of El Palmillo, one of more than 1 , 400 artificially flattened terraces in the [alley of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. Hilltop terrace sites have long been recognized as a characteristic form of settlement in the prehispanic Valley of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. More than 100 years ago, Field Museum curator William H. Holmes wrote, "About Oaxaca many of the important architectural remains are found on mountain tops, and one soon comes to recognize the notched profiles of the ridges and peaks that border the valley as being due to the strangely directed enterprise of the ancient inhabitants. . . .As the explorer climbs the slopes and picks his way from summit to summit, he is fairly dazed by the vast array of pyramids and terraces, which not only crown the heights but overspread the steep slopes, destroying traces of natural contour and making the mountains actual works of art. From the massive ramparts of these mountain cities one gazes down into the blue and distant val- leys, where the present cities and towns appear as mere patches of white and pink set in fringes of green." IN THE FIELD A mid variety of maguey, a succulent plant that has been an important food source in the region for thousands of years. More than 100 of these majestic hilltop ruins have been reported and mapped in the Valley of Oaxaca since the late 1970s. At times in the past, especially during the Classic period (ca. A.D. 200- 800), these densely populated settlements housed almost two-thirds of the valley's population. Yet few of them, other than the region's prehispanic capital, Monte Alban, have been the focus of systematic archaeological excavation. Most valley fieldwork has concentrated on elite contexts, namely temples and tombs. Consequently, we know very little about how the ancient inhabitants of these settlements, the Zapotecs, lived, other than that they built their houses on artificially flattened spaces carved into the mountain slopes, often high above the valley floor. Our aim is to discover the nature of household organization and economic activities at these Zapotec terrace sites by excavating at El Palmillo, a large hilltop site with roughly 1 ,400 terraces in the dry, eastern part of the valley. Assisted by William Middleton, a Field postdoctoral research scientist, we now have completed two seasons of a long- term excavation project at El Palmillo. Given our interest in domestic structures and activities, we started our investigations in 1999 on some of the lower terraces, away from the public core of the settlement and to ease the logistical aspects of our work, including a 20-minute walk up a steep, rocky slope. Ceramics recovered during earlier studies at El Palmillo indicated a long history of occupation, from ca. 300-200 B.C. up to the Spanish conquest in the early 1500s. The site was small at the beginning, with the earliest inhabitants settled on just the hill's summit and upper slopes. As the population grew, the settlement spread to the lower slopes where we conducted our excavations, while the major ceremonial, public core remained on top of the hiU. The first terraces and houses in the residential area we excavated appear to have been built at the end of the Terminal Formative or very early in the Classic period (ca.A.D. 150-250). Although dispersed settlement continued in other parts of the site (both up- and down-slope), the final or uppermost construction episode on the excavated terraces dates to late in the Classic period (A.D. 600-800). In 1999 we excavated three terraces completely (1147, 1148 and 1162) and uncovered a series of rooms and structures around small patios, some with plaster floors. At the north end of the excavation area, we discovered a large, shallow oven that appears to have been used to roast maguey, a succulent plant that grows throughout the region. Below this oven, we found a smaller but more formal stone-lined oven and the stone founda- tions of several large structures. AH of these features extended north onto an adjacent terrace (1163). Crew members excavating M residential architecture on % terrace i 163 at El i Palmillo. MARCH/APRIL 2001 Plan of the residential structures surrounding an open plaza that were discovered during the 2000 excavations at El Palmillo. We returned to the same part of the site in 2000 to complete excavation of terrace 11 63 and uncover the remaining features. Our aim was to further clarify the architectural connections ben,veen the terraces and intensively investigate the large ovens. The ovens are significant because the modern village's major industry is the production of mescal, an alcoholic beverage made from maguey. Instead of making mescal, the prehispanic inhabitants may have used the ovens to roast the heart of maguey for food. During the first two field seasons, we exposed an area of appro.ximately 480 square meters. In some places, we excavated almost two meters of prehis- panic deposits, much of which was intentional construction fill, before reaching bedrock. One thing we have learned during our work at El Palmillo is that erecting terraces involved more construction than we previously imagined. The settlement's prehispanic occupants did not simply foUow or tinker \\-ith the contour of the natural hill " ^^^^°:^^^^ In 6E 8E 10E 12E 14E Area excavated in 1999 Area excavated in 2000 when building terraces. Rather, construction was a monumental enterprise that purposely created a human-made landform. Even nonscientists can see that humans modified the hills, as Holmes noted 1 00 years ago. Residential terrace life appears to have involved regular episodes of wall construction, terrace maintenance and spatial modification, all of which required considerable labor and coordination. After their initial construction, the terraces appear to have undergone a cycle of gradual accumulation of sediments and minor repairs followed by major episodes of renovation. During major renovations, terrace walls were raised and surfaces covered by considerable layers of new, often sterile sediment. Terrace sites were at once holistic architectural entities — giant tiered fea- tures that reshaped large natural hills — and modular settlements composed of a series of roughly similar units. During 1999 and 2000, we defined two residential architecmral complexes consisting of several discrete but closely connected rooms around three sides of a central patio. We also uncovered several small residential structures; 26 burials, including a small tomb; 14 offerings; and a dozen fire installations, including the tvvo large maguey ovens. The archi- tectural complexes and most of the other structures underwent multiple episodes of construction or were closely superimposed atop previous structures. Although the two architectural complexes are situated on separate terraces, they are remarkably similar in construction and basic layout. In both, a narrow rectangular structure is located toward the back, east side of the terrace and links two smaller rooms at the north and south ends. These structures surround a small central patio, leaving the front, west side of the terrace open. The northern structure had a mortuary function, as a number of burials were uncovered in and around them during both excavation seasons. The long, eastern struc- tures are especially similar, constructed with flat foundation stones and well-made plaster floors. The southern structures are more square shaped. The prehispanic Zapotecs generally buried their dead near their homes, often under house or patio floors or in small domestic tombs, presumably to reflect familial continuit\^ Burials at El Palmillo largely conform to these patterns, although burial location varied according to an individual's age. Most of the adults were interred in formal burial MAP OF TERRACE 1163 4 IN THE FIELD One of the offerings that was placed in the central patio area. features or in the central patios. An adult male and female were placed in a small tomb associated with one of the northern structures, while five adults were buried in the central patio area. Three adult males and two adult females were interred in the northern structure of the other complex. Many of the adult interments were reused or opened, per- haps for ritual reasons. In contrast, most of the children were positioned under house floors or in large jars placed in terrace walls, probably during construction or rebuilding of the walls. One or two complete ceramic vessels accompanied many buri- als, and the "richest" burial, an adult female, contained six complete vessels. Most of the non-burial ofl^erings consisted of a pair of ceramic vessels, similar to those recovered at Monte Alban from the same time period, with a larger vessel (often with tripod supports) placed upside down on top of a smaller, simpler vessel. Offerings were found in a variety of contexts, but most often in the central patio areas or under house floors. They appear to have been placed during building or rebuilding episodes and may have been part of dedication ceremonies. We have yet to find any artifacts inside the offerings, although we sus- pect they may have held perishable materials. The soils recovered from inside the vessels and burials are currently being analyzed. We intensively sampled deposits from the two large ovens to determine if maguey residues are, in fact, present. Although there are structural and size differences between the two, both bear striking similarity to maguey ovens used today in Matatlan. The remaining fire installations were primarily small hearths, probably used to prepare food, situated outside the domestic structures or rooms. Although we are still in the early stages of our study, we are excited by our findings on such issues as residential construction, household economies, ritual activities and the spatial and political organization of Oaxaca hilltop terrace communities. Given the current interest and encouragement that we have from Matatlan, the potential for productive long-term research at El Palmillo is extremely promising. With continued support from the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, the Centro Regional de Oaxaca, the local authorities of Santiago Matatlan, the National Science Foundation and The Field Museum, we look forward to additional field sea- sons and to gaining a fuller understanding of the nature of domestic life in ancient Oaxaca. ITF MARCH/APRIL 2001 INTHE FIELD FEATURE Between Cultures: Children of Immigrants in America Amy Craiicli, Editor For six years, Chicagoan Gina Grillo has been photographing swearing-in ceremonies, cultural celebrations and other events to capture the immi- grant experience. But her interest in the subject dates back to childhood. The granddaughter of Italian immigrants, Grillo feels connected to the issues, both internal and external, that immigrants experience as they assimilate into a new life. Her exhibition, "Between Cultures: Children of Immigrants in America," features 25 poignant black and white images, along with children's essays and drawings, and runs through May 6, 2001. Below is an excerpt from an interview. China Moon Festival ITF: What drew you to the subject of immigrant children? GG: All four of my grandparents came to the United States in the early 1 900s from Italy, and most of them were gone before I was born. As with many immigrants of the time, they let details of the past go. I grew up with a longing to find out more, an urge to uncover the mysteries of where I came from and where my family is now. The subject of my work originates from an early interest in understanding how the decision of one family's generation to immigrate affects those that come afterward. I felt that if I didn't delve into it, no one else would, and that could be a loss. ITF: How did you get started? GG: I started where new immigrants start. I went to lines outside of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and then I heard Mayor Daley was hosting a swearing-in ceremony at Grant Park. It was quite a learning experience. Until then, for example, I had never heard of the Oath of Citizenship — a moving, patriotic document. I thought going through this would help me appreciate my own citizenship in a different way. I met several families and was sometimes invited to their homes. I became interested in ethnic commu- nities — how the facade of a neighborhood defines or reveals its level of diversity, and how fleeting that is. When my family came here, for example, Italians were one of the largest groups, and now they're not. That's historically significant and worth my undivided attention. ITF: How did the project evolve? GG: The INS invited me to shoot new immigrants arriving at O'Hare, which became the foundation for how I would piece together what I do now. I would wait for the planes, sit in a special section for new immigrants, talk with them, and when they were willing, photograph them right after arrival. That was remarkable... to be part of those first moments, that first hour. One thing key to the exhibit is the time I've spent with children in inner city schools here and in Brooklyn. Big Shoulders, a Chicago Archdiocese program that gives scholarships to immigrant children, connected me directly to inner city schools ... with diverse populations. You can imagine how ^ incredible that was. This project is not a self-portrai- d ture; it's about community, and I couldn't have done f it without one person after another helping me. < 5 ITF: Did your motives change once you began networking and working with the schools? GG: No. I saw that today's immigrants are no differ- ent than my own family. To understand the risks and courage, the longing and sacrifice, has always been personal. What my family went through 100 years ago hasn't changed much, and the greatest way to honor my grandparents is to honor the immigrants around me. ITF: And photographing other families helps you feel connected to your roots? GG: Yes. Through photography, I became more clearly rooted in how my grandparents influenced me. At a certam point I realized that the ability to take risks in the great way that immigrants do — to throw away everything that is familiar — is the secret to succeeding at anything. I want to know more — understand more — about that level of courage. I hope people who look at my images see something familiar, a common humanity. ITF IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDETOTHEFIELD A Pullout Calendar of Events for March and April Inside: Exhibits Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs Kinetosaurs Opening Weekend Events! Meet Kinetosaur Creator John Payne Meet the man behind the dynamic dinosaur sculptures featured in ''Kinetosaurs." Sculptor John Payne will demonstrate how these enor- mous sculptures move and discuss how he combined his passions for art and natural history to bring prehistoric creatures to life. Saturday and Sunday, March 24 and 25 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Free with Museum admission Sue Hendrickson Booksigning Meet Sue Hendricl-^'-^'**^jui.rn Northwest Coast Indians and Eskimos Discover a spectacular array of arti- facts depicting two very different North American neighboring environments and cultures. Every weekday! Monday, 1:30 p.m. Tuesday- Friday, 1 1:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Daily Highlight Tours Visit the exhibitions that make this Museum one of the world's finest. Hear the stories behind some of these fascinating objects from nature and human culture. Daily! Monday— Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday— Sunday, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Field Museum is open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Christmas and New Year's Day. Visit us as www.fieldmuseum.org. Hands-on Activities and IVIore Interpretive Station Activities Every weekend you'll find a selection of hands-on activities throughout the Museum. You may meet a soil scientist at work, see your name in Egyptian hieroglyphs or dissect an owl pellet. Every Saturday and Sunday! Pawnee Earth Lodge Field Museum docents help bring history to life in this full-size replica of a traditional Pawnee lodge. Daily! Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.— 4:30 p.m. Weekdays at 1 p.m. Story Time: Facts, Fables and Fiction Listen to a story, sing songs and make an art project to take home — all in just 20 minutes! One adult for every three children, please. Euery Saturday and Sunday! 1 p.m. For adults and young children Meet at the "Living Together" exhibition. Sponsored by the Siragusa Foundation Early Childhood Initiative. THE FIELD MUSEUM/GN90006C. 1 9 Scientists at The Field Visit with Field Museum scientists to learn about their exciting research. You'll get to see rarely displayed specimens from the Museum's collections. Every second Saturday of the month March 10 and April 14, 11 a.m.— 2 p.m. Artists at The Field Bring your own materials and get tips from professional artists as they create scientific illustrations and other art works inspired by our exhibitions. Stools will be available. Every third Saturday of the month March 1 7 and April 21, noon— 3 p.m. 14 IN THE FIELD CALENDAR MEMBERSHIPNEWS Exclusive Members' Viewings fo r 'Kinetosaurs // Hands-on fun brings dinosaurs to life in "Kinetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth into Art and Science." Set a T. rex and other life-sized dinosaur sculptures into motion and learn how these enor- mous creatures may have run, roared and fought millions of years ago. Member viewing dates Wednesday, March 21 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Thursday, March 22 5 — 10 p.m. Sunday, March 25 5-10 p.m. Sunday,April 1 5-10 p.m. Reservations Reservations are required to receive timed entry tickets to this exhibition. Please do not request preview tickets for non-member guests — children or adults. RSVP by March 12 via mail or fax (312.665.7701) to receive your tickets by mail. No phone reservations will be accepted. Reservations received after this date will be held in will call, and a membership services represen- tative will call you with your entry time. Member preview tickets are limited, and time slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you cannot attend the preview, and wish to view the exhibition another day or for a second time, a limited number of free passes are available. How to get free member passes for "Kinetosaurs" on another date Members are eligible to receive up to four free passes to special exhibitions at the Field in addition to your tickets for members-only viewings. Family members can receive up to four passes and senior, student, indi- vidual and national affiliate members can receive up to two passes by caUing Ticketmaster at 312.902.1500. (A service charge and transaction fee will be assessed.) Members may also obtain passes at the membership services desk for future dates or same- day viewing for no additional service charge. Viewing dates and times are available on a first-come, first- served basis. For more information, call the membership office at 312.665.7700. Parking will be available in the Soldier Field parking lot for $7.50 per vehicle. Corner Bakery will be open until 8 p.m. Triceratops. Kinetosaurs created byTIre Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Sculptures by John Payne of Payne Studios, Asheville,NC, 1998, 1999. MARCH/APRIL 2001 15 IN THFFIELD FEATURE F-Fipli ring Millions to The Field Muspum Cher)'! Bardoe, StaffWriter From a press release aeated by students at AlWood Middle School iiiWoodhuH,III.,as part ofTlie Sue Files curriculum. Imagine talcing a behind-the-scenes tour of The Field Museum led by several top scientists. Picture yourself working right alongside them to investi- gate cutting-edge scientific theories. Or envision traveling with these scientists into the field to gather insect specimens, conduct ethnographic research or retrieve fossilized dinosaur bones fi-om the ground. Each year The Field Museum's electronic fieldtrips bring these opportunities to millions of students, teachers and families nationwide. "With e-fieldtrips, we can bring our scientists right into the classroom or home," says Jennifer Eagleton, manager of educational media. "E-field- trips allow students to explore the same questions that our scientists study ever\- day, but on a more accessible level. We're giving kids the resources to think through scientific questions for themselves, with our scientists as virtual mentors." E-fieldtrips feature rsvo major components. First, Field Museum scientists host a broadcast that is ^.^ge? believe -Several eyewtnesee-^ TheY «te° ^"* J aue'9 ^o99i\ -""^"'"TlU^eatV^'^ 5he .X19 or 1^ She '^ ^^ ^ L l^eet \m- ^^^ "^ td\ and 4-2- tee i ^ ^n any etephant. delivered by webcast, satellite, select PBS and edu- cational stations, distance learning networks and VHS tapes. On Dec. 13, for example, an estimated 8.3 million viewers in Canada and 28 U.S. states had the opportunity to tune into Tlie Sue Files. During the broadcast, viewers met scientists fi-om the Museum's geolog\' and zoology,' departments, traveled to South Dakota to see Sue the 77 re.x being excavated and followed several students through hands-on activities to determine how Sue may have moved and her relationship to other species. Students and teachers also can log onto the Museum's website to participate in an interactive, on-line curriculum. More than 14,800 Illinois students have already begun working on The Sue Files curriculum, in which students determine whether Sue the 77 re.x was the culprit in the disappearance of Field Museum scientist Dr. I. M. Prey. Afiier using the scientific method to review eyewitness testimony and gather data about Sue, students write a letter to cit\- officials, hold a press conference or draft a newspaper article summariz- ing their fmdings. The Field Museum has been at the foreftont of educational technology ever since 1996, when we pioneered one of the nation's first electronic fieldtrip programs. "With our world-famous collec- tions, exhibitions and ongoing scientific research, the Field is an invaluable educational resource," Eagleton said. "This technologv' is bringing the Museum's resources to more people than ever." The Field Museum's next e-fieldtrip will air in April 2001. Living Heritage: Critical Conservation will focus on the importance of biodiversity in South America, Afi-ica and Swallow CUfFWoods, lU. To learn more, check the educa- tional technology section on our website at www.fieldmuseum.org/education. 16 IN THE FIELD OFSPECIALINTEREST A&E's Inve5tigati\/e Reports Fpatures Cofan nonsfirv;^tinn Efforts On Thursday, April 26, Bill Kurtis wiU preview his latest A&E Investigative Reports at The Women's Board's annual outreach lunch. Guardians of the Rainforest. His lecture and film, Hie Cofan Peoples of Ecuador, will document the work of Field Museum scientists in Ecuador alongside the indigenous Cofan, original inhabitants of the rainforest. Cofan members at Vermejo, a small milage in the Ecuadorian foothills. The afternoon will include Randall Borman, son of missionary parents, who remained in Ecuador and became a Cofan member. (Borman received the Parker/Gentry Award in 1998 for his conserva- tion work with the Cofan.) Setting examples for all to follow, Borman and the Cofan are experts in ecology and conservation, with projects that include recovering endangered turtle populations, establish- ing ecotourism ventures and producing colorful botanical field guides. Local students and teachers participating in our satellite Field Trips program will be our guests to learn first-hand from scientists and members of the Cofan about the meaningful impact of conserving the world's natural resources. Please join us in honoring these Guardians of the Rainforest. McDonald's sponsors the lunch, with generous support from Stephen Freidheim. All proceeds benefit the Museum's Cofan conser- vation and cultural projects and Field Trips. The lecture begins at 11 a.m., and lunch follows. Tickets are $80. For tickets or information, call The Women's Board office at 312.665.7135. Friends of the Library [Jnwpjls Digital Tmag in g Prog ram Birds and beasts will fill the corridors on the evening of May 1, spilling from the third-floor read- ing room as the Friends of The Field Museum Library celebrates its 10th anniversary. The creatures are actually in the form of fine art prints and high quality T- shirts, reproducing some of the most beautiful original works held in the Mary W Runnells Rare Book Room. Albrecht Durer's rhinoceros, Edward Lear's parrots and John James Audubon's birds and quadrupeds are among many illustrations that have been reproduced through an image- licensing program sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Royalties from the program are building the Library's endowment, helping to secure the future of this great scholarly resource. By special arrangement with the licensees, all purchases during the event will generate at least double the usual royalty for the endowment. While the corridors adjacent to the Library will become an art gallery for the evening, the reading room will become a digital imaging workshop demonstrating the art and technology of digital image capture, retouch and print production. The staff of Black Box Collotype of Chicago wiU perform and explain high- resolution image capture and Photoshop manipulation of digital image files for production of fine art facsim- iles. We will also display and discuss the proofing process that leads to a finished print. Admission is free for Friends and their guests and $25 for non-members. All are welcome to attend; reservations are limited. For reservations or information about joining the Friends of the Library, call Megan Sweeney at 312.665.7136 or email msweeney@fmnh.org. From John James Audubon's The Birds of America (London, 1827-1838). Plate LX I, Great Horned Old. " MARCH/APRIL 2001 17 OFSl'ICIALINTEREST The Field on Film -— nUBMni 9 9 ^IH Miirk Alrcy, Admimstrativc Coordinator, Auidcinic Affairs If there were an Academy Award category for "Best Performance by a Museum," The Field Museum would be a shoe-in. From the comic to the dramatic to the horrific, more than a dozen feature films and television series have used the Field's majestic halls and neoclassical facades as recognizable movie shorthand for "museum." The most familiar example may be 77;e Relic, a 1 996 entry about a brain-sucking monster on the loose in a Chicago natural history museum, but the Field on film stretches back to the days before movies "talked." Holl)-\vood and foreign studios were shooting The Field Museum at least as early as the 1920s — as a newsreel subject. Paramount. Fox- Movietone, Pathe and other major companies shot dozens of newsreel segments at the Field in the '20s and '30s, with subjects ranging from the unveiling of a newly acquired turquoise, to a visit fi^om the Prince ofWales, to cleaning the elephants in Stanley Field Hall. It is dif- ficult to know how many of these shorts survived the ^ ravages of time — and 2 nitrate film — but a few still S exist in film archives and ^ provide a fascinating 5 glimpse of the Field during = this era. " Fast-forward some 50 years to find the Field in a major motion picture — the 1973 big-screen adap- tation of Desmond Morris' pop-anthropology bestseller, Jlic Xakcd Ape. Although the film is no longer in distribution, long-time Museum staS" members recall that a human evolution exhibit was created in the main hall for a scene featuring Victoria Principal. The filmmakers reportedly ofliered the ersatz exhibit to the Museum when the production was completed, but then Field Museum President Leland Webber declined. The Museum's next big-screen part was a more mainstream efl^ort with bigger stars and is better remembered today — Daimeiv.Tlie Omen II. The 1978 sequel to 77;e Omen finds the young Antichrist in the care of his uncle, Chicago indus- trialist Richard Thorn (played by William Holden), who also chairs the Thorn Museum (played by the Field). The Thorn Museum is slated to acquire a trove of biblical-era artifacts that hold clues to Damien's true nature, and thus figures prominently in the story. Besides establishing shots of the south entrance, the film captures Stanley Field Hall and the Egypt gallery of that period (now the Siragusa Center). The movie ends with Damien standing on the Museum's north steps with an imperious smile as he ponders his destiny (and perhaps two more Omen sequels). Damien was on the forefront of a boom in Chicago-based moviemaking, driven by a trend toward "runaway production," when producers fled Los Angeles in search of visual variety, reduced red tape and lower costs. The creation of the Illinois Film Office in 1975, and the arrival of Mayor Jane Byrne's film-friendly administration the following year, led to the rapid entrenchment of Chicago as a vibrant film location. Today, stars' trailers and movie catering trucks have become common sights on Chicago streets — and at The Field Museum. The Museum's next appearance was in a romantic comedy called Continental Divide (1981), concerning the unlikely romance of a Mike Royko-Uke Chicago Sun— Times columnist (John Belushi) and an earthy ornithologist (Blair Brown). After a brief separation their passion is rekindled when the scientist returns to give a lecture at "The Natural History Museum." Before the final embrace, Belushi's rumpled news hound makes several indecisive passes up and down the Field's north steps as he works up his courage to go in. The Field played a small part in the 1986 pilot to the series Crime Story, when two professional burglars admire "The Lakeshore Museum" from the steps of Shedd Aquarium as they discuss plans to heist the "Hapsburg jewels." There were larger supporting roles in two 1988 films. In Vice Versa, an ancient artifact causes a father (Judge Reinhold) and his teenage son (Fred Savage) to switch bod- ies. Desperate to reverse the spell, we see the pair walking through Stanley Field Hall on their way to consult an archeologist about the object's origins. In She's Having a Baby, Kevin Bacon plays a young husband beset by the anxieties of a new marriage and impending fatherhood. The "Museum of Natural History" — Stanley Field Hall again — figures in four scenes, notably the one in which his wife (Elizabeth McGovern) reveals that she is expecting. Not to be typecast, our handsome neoclassical edi- fice won non-museum parts in two 1 989 releases. IN THE FIELD OFSFECIAl INTEREST In Tlic Package, a political thriller starring Gene Hackman, the Museum stands in for a D.C. military office building and reappears as itself in an aerial shot when the action shifts to Chicago near the film's climax. The Field also co-stars with Jessica Lange in The Music Box as a Chicago courthouse, with both the north exterior and grand staircase in Stanley Field Hall setting the scene for the film's war-crime trial. It was back to work as a museum in 1990 in Tire Kid Wlto Loved Christmas, a senti- mental made-for-TV movie, followed by another appearance as a government-type structure in the 1993 ABC series Missing Persons. The Field is central to the plot of The Relic (1996), a movie about a monster that gets loose after being shipped back to Chicago with a load of archeological artifacts. Only a few scenes were shot at the Field, including the north entrance, Stanley Field Hall and the west balcony, but the producers' efforts at re-creating "back-of-the-house" labs and a two-tiered zoology exhibit convinced many viewers that the whole movie was shot here. The Field also appears in the 1 996 thriller Chain Reaction, but is portrayed in a vaguely Smithsonian fashion as a Washington, D.C, science museum, combined via wildly discontinuous editing with parts of the Museum of Science and Industry. The Field remained busy in the 1990s, appearing in television's Early Edition and at least two episodes of the NBC hit ER. Its most recent feature film stint was a 2000 remake of a 1993 French fantasy- comedy Les Visiteurs, called TIte Visitors, which has only been released in the United Kingdom. And parts of The Muhammad Ali Story with WiU Smith wiU be filmed here in 2001. Ron Ver Kuilen, managing director of the Illinois Film Office, reports, "After the El, the intersection of Milwaukee, North and Damen and Wrigley Field, The Field Museum has been our most popular filming location." At last count, that's 1 1 features, two TV movies and five TV episodes, not including at least 30 newsreels and a 1 954 TV commercial for Community Motors Pontiac. Their "thumbs up" quotient is mixed, and there is nary a Best Picture among them, but each one, from the newsreels to Tlie Relic, contains an unintended, often unexpected pleasure for fans of The Field Museum. The "Best Performance by a Museum" category may be a stretch, but "Most Photogenic?" The Field is the winner, hands-down. In Damien: The Omen II, one of the earliest features shot at The Field Museum, a terrible secret is gradually being revealed to Richard and Ann Tliorn (William Holden and Lee Grant). MARCH/APRIL 2001 19 Field Museum Tours at a Glance For information, call Field Museum Tours at 800.811.7244 or email fmtours@sover.net. Please note that rates, prices and itineraries are subject to change and that prices are per person, double occupancy. An Insider's Tour of Santa Fe April 29- May 4, 2001 (6 days) This focused tour offers a splen- did combination of archaeological sites, museums, cultural centers, artist and craftsmen's workshops, outstanding restaurants and one fine hotel. Highlights include the prehistoric ruins of Poshu- Ouinge and Sapawe, ancient Taos, historic Pecos, the San Felipe Pueblo's Green Corn Dance and Georgia O'Keefe's house. Museum Leader: Anthropologist Jonathan Haas The Geology and History of New Zealand Nov. 3-21,2001 (19 days) New Zealand's natural and cultural diversity will astound you. On North Island visit Goat Island Marine Reserve, Tongariro National Park, the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne and Wellington's Museum of New Zealand and Botanic Gardens. On South Island tour Christchurch's Canterbury Museum, Dunedin, Queenstown and Milford Sound. Museum Leader: Anthropologist John Terrell and Geologist Scott Lidgard Amazon by Riverboat Dec. 1-9, 2001 (9 days) Travel aboard a 14-cabin riverboat exploring the remote upper reaches of the Amazon River system. Experience the forest and wdldUfe of the Amazon jungle. Optional extension to Cuzco and Macchu Picchu. Museum Leader: TBA Mysteries of Earth by Private Jet Dec. 30, 2001-Jan. 23, 2002 (25 days) Travel aboard a private, first-class Boeing 757 on a once-in-a-hfe- time journey to the world's most remote habitats: the vast flora and fauna of the Amazon; volcanic Canary Islands; great apes of Borneo; annual migration in Tanzania; wildlife of Nepal; rare species of the Galapagos; undersea life of the Great Barrier Reef; moai of Easter Island; tribal cultures of Papua New Guinea; the Seychelles; and Samoa. Guest Leader: Renoimied evolution expert Stephen Jay Gould "I thought the trip was wonderful. This was the trip of a lifetime for us. We loved every minute of it." Egypt Revisited Oct. 14-28,2001 (15 days) Explore spectacular archaeological sites and monuments not seen on your first trip. (First-time visitors should see Egyptian Odyssey below.) Highlights feature Abusir, Dashur, Maidum, Faiyum, Tanus, Abydos, Dendara, dawn at Abu Simbel and three nights cruising Lake Nasser, plus lesser-known sites in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Museum Leader: Egyptologist Frank Yurco Egyptian Odyssey Jan. 27-Feb. 3, 2002 (8 days) Explore the amazing world of Egypt's ancient pharaohs by land and riverboat. Discover astound- ing archaeological sites, including the famed pyramids of Giza, the site of ancient Thebes, the three colossi of Ramses II and the Valley of Kings. Take a nostalgic Nile cruise aboard one of two vintage paddle wheelers, built at the turn of the century. Leader: Egyptologist Frank Yurco "I learned so much, saw so much and the events ran so smoothly they almost seemed choreographed." Co-sponsored with the Explorers Club, Mysteries of Earth encompasses four continents and is led by Stephen Jay Gould, well-known scientific writer and lecturer The Hidden Wilderness of the Cordillera Azul * A Butterfly Garde *.%- FRO.MTHEPRESIDENT Field Rese arch Season Swells at the Museum Anthropology Jonathan Haas — Peru to survey and map large preceramic sites in three valleys on the central coast Alaka Wall — Lake Calumet to continue social asset mapping research in conjunc- tion with the conservation design work. Peru to assess working with the Shipibo on monitoring the environment. New York City to research gender roles, work and health among African-American women. Antonio Curet — Tibes in Ponce, Puerto Rico, possibly one of the earliest chlefdoms in the Caribbean, to identify potential domestic areas using geophysical techniques. Gary Feinman, Linda Nicholas and William Mlddleton — Oaxaca, Mexico, to excavate residential terraces at El Palmillo and look for changing patterns of domestic life and economic organization (ca. A.D. 200-800). Botany Greg Mueller — Costa Rica to co-coordi- nate an international workshop and collect fungi as part of the Costa Rican National Inventory. Jun Wen — China, India and Vietnam to conduct field studies on the systematics of the medicinally important ginseng species and the biogeography of Asia. On almost any given day, Field Museum scientists can be found combing through dense forests, wind-swept plains or snowy mountain footpaths seeking clues to understand our planet's people and places. Here are just a few points on the global map some of our scientists will be visiting in the next few months: Environmental and Conservation Programs Debby Moskovlts — Peru to follow up on a rapid biological inventory completed last fall. Bolivia to begin work on a primate research center and transforming logging concessions into conservation concessions. Robin Foster — Ecuador to assess the Andean foothills, a potential site for future rapid biological inventories and training in inventory methods. Douglas Stotz — Calumet to continue a conservation study on bird populations and distribution in areas targeted for ecological restoration. Geology Olivier Rieppel — China to study recently discovered middle Triassic marine reptiles. John Flynn — Chile to prospect for new fossil mammal localities in the Andes Mountains. Jenny McElwain — Sierra Nevada to collert fossil plants from the Middle Eocene Chalk Bluffs flora and test a new method of esti- mating paleo-elevation. Tibet to collect high-altitude fossil plants in investigating the uplift history of the Tibetan plateau. Lance Grande — Wyoming to excavate in the fossil beds of the Green River Formation, one of the most productive freshwater fossil locations in the world. Peter Wagner — Nevada, Utah and California to collect gastropods from the Ordovician and Devonian periods. Zoology Barry Chemoff — Guyana to collect fishes and photograph specimens for his revision of the characid genus Bryconops. Harold Voris — Thailand to study snake ecology in national parks. John Bates — Democratic Republic of Congo to help two research stations document biodiversity. Petra Sierwald and Jason Bond — Republic of South Africa to collect arthropods, including spiders and millipedes, for research here and at other institutions. Janet Voight — Juan de Fuca Ridge, Pacific Ocean, to build biological collec- tions in cooperation with a geophysics cruise that is using a remotely operated vehicle. Tom Gnoske — Bhutan, Himalayas, to conduct bird and small mammal faunal inventories and survey the distribution of tigers and their prey. For more information on our scientists or their research, visit wv*(w.fieldmuseum. org. You may also meet some of them at Members' Nights on May 23, 24 or 25. See page 21 for more details on this antic- ipated opportunity. John W. McCarter, Jr. President & CEO I _io Continuing improvements, we have introduced two new changes in this issue. Membership News, histori- cally placed around the middle of the magazine, has a permanent new home inside the back cover so you will always know where to go for the latest membership information. Also, we have replaced Ask A Scientist with Scientist's Pick on page 15. It's a striking large photo of an unusual artifact or specimen from the collections that our own scientists choose to highlight. It may be something you might not other- wise see and is tied to our goal of presenting science in an exciting, engaging, educational way. Please send comments or questions to Amy Cranch, publications manager. The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, or via email atacranch@fmnh.org. INTHEFIELD May/June 2001, Vol.72, No. 3 Editor: Amy Cranch, The Field Museum Design: Depke Design Copy editor: Laura F. Nelson In the Field is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is published bimonthly by The Field IVluseum. Copyright 2001 The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. IVluseum membership includes In the Field subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field IVluseum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to In the Field, The Field IVluseum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. The cover image is inspired by Living Colors; A Butterfly Garden, created by The Field Museum and open May 25 through Sept 25, 2001. Photo montage by Jacqueline Hartmann. The Field IVluseum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the IVluseum through the Chicago Park District. j: ter Field useum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 v^ww.fleldmuseum.org ^^^ 6 A rapid biological inventory in Peru reveals at least 28 species of plants and animals new to science. Left:Tliis Bolitoglossa sp., apparently new, sets the highest- altitude record for a salamander in Peru. New research concludes that ferns and horsetails are the closest living relatives to seed plants. Left: The report made the cover of Nature magazine in February. 15 New column! See Scientist's Pick for a close-up view of a seal's distinctive teeth. 16 Repatriation is active at The Field Museum. 18 Celebrity-made masks will be auctioned off to benefit the Museum. Left: Masks by Donna Blue Lachman (left) and Dirk Lohan (right). Museum Cam pus Neighbors Shedd Aquarium The Oceanarium turns 10 in 2001. Watch the beluga whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins in an all-new behavioral presentation, with lots of surprises. Throughout May, take part in an Oceanarium birthday party, and in June, go behind the scenes to see how the marine mammals are cared for. Check www.sheddaquarium.org for specific dates and times, or call 312.939.2438. Adier Planetarium Celebrate the eternal creativity of the human spirit that sought to measure, track and ultimately mechanize time in Episodes from the Story of Time, open April 11 to Sept. 3, 2001. Marvel at unique, seldom-seen artifacts, such as ancient astrolabes, complicated sundials, perplexing perpetual calendars and intricate clocks. For information, visit vw\/w.adlerplanetarium.org, or call 312. 922. STAR. Museum Campus Walking Tours Discover how Chicago's three natural science museums have been brought together in a contemporary version of Daniel Burnham's Plan of Chicago. Admire Chicago's architectural skyline against nature's shoreline. Meet in front of Shedd Aquarium at 11am on June 2, July 7 or Aug. 4. Tickets are $5, or free for Chicago Architecture Foundation members. Visit www.architecture.org, or call 312.922.3432 for details. MAY/JUNE 2001 I NTH EFI ELD FEATURE The Hidden Wilderness of the Cordillera Azul William S. Alrcrsoii and Dehra K. Moskovits, Environmental and Conservation Programs Tlie Sliipiho call these craggy peaks oj the upper Rio Pisqtii manashahiie- mana, or turtles, in allusion to a row of piled-up turtles. Rapid biological inventories, a critical focus of The Field Museum's Environmental and Conservation Programs, aim to catalyze immediate action for conservation in threatened regions of high biological value. The scientific teams focus primarily on groups of organisms that indicate habitat type and condition and can be surveyed quickly and accurately. Our rapid inventories do not attempt to produce exhaustive lists of organisms. Rather, vje use a time-effective, integrated approach to identify different biological communities and determine whether they are of outstanding quality and significance in a regional or global context. In-country scientists are central to these teams. And after each inventory, long- term management of the natural communities and further research rely on initiatives from local scientists and conservationists. When an inventory is completed, typically within one month, the team relays the survey information to local and international decision makers who can set priorities and guide policy and action in the host country. IN THE FIELD Cordillera Azul — the "Blue Mountains" of Central Peru The northern Cordillera Azul mountain region is huge, wild and breathtaking. The easternmost — and youngest — range of the Andes, the Cordillera Azul sprang up between the lowlands of the Ucayali River to the east and the hills and valleys above the HuaUaga River, a major center of coca cultivation, to the north and west. Its dynamic geologic setting — with jagged mountain crests and ridges, landslides and sheer rock cliffs, broad lowland valleys and slopes, and high-altitude wetlands — was the target of the Museum's three-week rapid biological inven- tory this past fall. A striking, important aspect of the Cordillera Azul is its staggering diversity of habitat types, from the wide range of altitudes (200 to 2,400 meters), to the large variety of soil and rock types, to the extensive wetlands. There are few or no permanent residents within the highlands, and human use is generally low, even by the indigenous Shipibo community in the eastern lowlands. Our leading partner in the inventory and subsequent conservation negotiations is the Asociacion Peruana para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza (APECO). In 1999,APECO spear- headed an initiative with the Red Ambiental Peruana, a private environmental coalition, and recommended establishing a new national park within the rugged highlands. Our goal was to obtain quickly the biological information critical to empower and sustain these Russian-made helicopters of the Peruvian National Police carried us to otherwise inaccessible areas within the Cordillera Azul. national and regional conservation efforts. The Cordillera Azul stiU offers the rare opportunity to act before habitat fragmentation and degradation forever transform the landscape. Speed is essential because transformation approaches swiftly. The nearly 10,000 sq. miles of contiguous foothiD and lowland forests, once under partial federal protection, are now under threat from multinational logging interests, which have designated a huge expanse of ancient Amazonian forests as logging concessions. New roads being planned for extracting the timber will attract massive, disorderly colonization that will lead to damage much greater than the direct impact of selective logging, unless comprehensive and immediate measures for conservation can be put in place. The good news is that while we were there, the Peruvian government declared the remaining acreage as a reserved zone, signifying at least temporary, con- tinued protection from timber harvest and agriculture. Rapid Inventory of the Proposed National Park Charged with collecting and relaying information before public auction of the lowland logging con- cessions, we started planning the rapid inventory with APECO's Lily Rodriguez and secured funding from the John D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. Our first big challenge was to reach our study site. Ringed by sheer rock escarpments, the heart of the northern Cordillera Azul is extremely difficult to access. The central section 'Most of the areas to the east, west and south were hilly and forested. But to the north was one of the most incredible views [I have] ever witnessed in [my] 40 years of Peruvian travel..." John P. 0'Ne\\\ MAY/JUNE 2001 Tlie Scarlet-banded Barbet ^Capito wallacei^ a iiai', endemic species, is knouv only in tall cloud forests on afetv ridge aests within the northern Cordillera Azid. of this escarpment rises a vertical mile out of the lowlands, reminiscent of the front range of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. A wonderful chain of support took us from the Museum's e.xternal affairs otEce, to our federal relations representative in Washington, D.C., to the Peruvian National Police (PNP), each entity- helping us gain access to the area. From the moment we landed in Lima, the PNP helped get the team and our unwieldy gear into the field. PNP helicopters also flew us in and out of our survey sites, giving us hours of superb close-up views of different habitats. Once on the ground, the inventory team — with scientists from rvvo Peruvian and two U.S. institu- tions — spread out along trails cut by our Peruvian and Shipibo guides. The vertical climbs to the crests challenged even the youngest and hardiest among us. It was treacherous walking around in the spongy, unstable mats of superficial roots at the '"top of the world." One false step and you sank to your hips, with your stomach quickly lodging in your throat. But as we became increasingly exhausted and sore, the views grew more stunning and the plant and animal Ufe spectacular. What can a group of scientists find in three weeks, covering three sites? An impressive amount, when the area is as rich and rugged as the Cordillera Azul. We established several satellite camps across a range of elevations. During those 21 days, we surveyed vascular plants, fishes, reptiles and amphib- ians, birds and large mammals. For each organism group, we found specialized species with restricted ranges and habitats. Dozens of records of plants and animals are new for Peru. And at least 28 species — but likelv manv more — are new to science. The botanists registered about 1 ,600 species of plants and estimated 4,000 to 6,000 for the region. More than 12 species are new to science, including a "bonsai" version of a giant tree at the ridgetops. The diversity of palms — an important food resource for maintaining high densities of several mammals and birds — is remarkable in the region. In less than one month, the team encountered 43 percent of the 105 palm species known from Peru. The mammal team recorded 7 1 species of mam- mals, including a black squirrel that is possibly new to science. Noteworthy records include bush dogs, spectacled bears, 10 species of monkeys (with the woolly, spider and saki monkeys common and tame) and daily sightings of white-lipped peccaries, with more than 100 individuals per herd. The sightings include 13 endangered species. Together with a field team from the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, the ornithologists registered more than 500 species of birds, with one new species — the Scarlet-banded Barbet {Capito wallacei) — newly described from a single group of ridges in the northern Cordillera Azul. Three species are new records for Peru. The Cordillera Azul has sizeable populations of game birds, large parrots and macaws. Two poorly known and habitat-restricted species, the Royal Sunangel hummingbird {Heliangelus regalis) and the Bar- winged Wood- Wren {Henicorhina leucoptera), are common in the stunted forests at the crests of mountains; the Cordillera Azul may be the previously unknown center of distribution for these species. The herpetologists found 82 species of amphibians and reptiles, with eight possibly new species of frogs and one new species of salamander, only the fourth known from Peru. Brightly colored frogs — representing a rich assemblage of species from northern and central Peru, and from the highlands and lowlands — were a prominent feature at every elevation. Finally, a sampling of fishes in the headwaters revealed a rich fauna with at least 22 new records for Peru, of which 10 are possibly new to science. The fish team found several new species in water- fall-studded, clear-water streams in the highlands. Some have e.xtreme adaptations for climbing waterfalls: they cUng with their strong sucker mouths to vertical and even overhanging rock. In the lowlands, the ichthyologists registered large numbers for species typically exploited for human consumption, indicating a healthy fish community. IN THE FIELD The stark beauty of the region, the wealth of interesting species and the harshness of the terrain all contributed to the trip's intensity and a strong bond that developed among team members. Everyone endured logistical mishaps with good humor, including all the food ending up in one high camp while all the water ended up in another. Those who had to camp along steep slopes gracefully tolerated their sleeping fellow campers rolling into their tents at night. Toward the end of the trip, tragedy struck. The PNP helicopter that had supported us throughout the expedition crashed, killing the copilot and severely injuring the pilot and flight engineers. Our hearts and healing wishes remain with the survivors and their families, and with the family of Livio Orozco Escobar, the copilot. Our continued efforts in the region will carry our deep gratitude and devotion to all who extended their kindness and dedication. Conservation Opportunities The rapid biological inventory team is recom- mending that the Peruvian government reclassify the reserved zone as a national park and extend its limits to follow the natural contours of the terrain. The approximately 5,000 sq. miles of proposed parkland would protect a unique set of biological communities that are among the most diverse of all existing conservation areas in Peru. Many of these communities are endan- gered or unprotected elsewhere, and are disappearing fast. The sheer size and isolation of the proposed park will allow it to function as a genetic refuge for game animals and commercial tree species that may be exploited to local extinction elsewhere in Amazonia and the Andes. Appropriate land management and economic alternatives in the lowlands will engender protection of the entire, contiguous range of biological communities, from dwarf vegetation at the mountain crests to the tall rainforests along lowland rivers. The 1,000 indigenous Shipibo who live in the expansive, still-intact lowlands east of the proposed park represent a promising potential for conservation. Shipibo guides worked closely with us on the rapid biological inventory and on a previous expedition led by APECO. Since the inventory, representatives of APECO and The Field Museum have been discussing options with the Shipibo to develop a conservation plan for the area where they traditionally live and hunt. The Shipibo can play a major role in creating a balanced management plan for the area, including monitoring schemes to prevent excessive hunting, fishing and over-harvest of forest products. Shipibo residents are interested in developing ecotourism and other low-impact economic alternatives that are compatible with the long-term survival of their culture and the plants and animals of the northern Cordillera Azul. Where are we now? The Field Museum and APECO have been working with Peruvian govern- mental and non-governmental entities since the fieldwork was completed and presented the rapid inventory results in late winter. One goal is to secure national park status for the highlands before the Peruvian government changes this summer. Feasible? Possibly. Many are working hard, in Peru and the United States, to maximize the chances of success. Our second goal, backed by Peruvian and international organizations, is to convert the three concessions inhabited by the Shipibo people to conservation concessions rather than logging concessions. The moment of truth will come during the public auction this June of the 22 "logging" concessions that now cover 5,000 sq. miles of lowland forests east of the Cordillera Azul escarpment. Until then, and we hope long after, we will continue planning for conservation with the Shipibo. If these collaborative efforts are successful, the Cordillera Azul region may soon become one of the most treasured natural assets of Peru — and of the world. ITF For the complete, multi-authored report of the Cordillera Azul expedition, or more information on rapid biological inventories, visit wwwfmnh.org/rbi. Our Shipibo guides take a short break after a long, steep climb to our highland camp. MAY/JUNE 2001 I NTH EFIELD FEATURE Scientists Shake Up the ''Family Tree'' of Green Plants Greg Borzo, Media Manager, Academic Affairs Cyathea (tree fern), com- monly called fiddlehead; young leaf, tightly curled in crazier; Costa Rica. Apparently, the lowly fern deserves more respect. New research that appeared as the cover story of Nature on Feb. 1 concludes that ferns and horsetails are not — as currently believed — lower, transitional evolutionary grades between mosses and flowering plants. In fact, ferns and horsetails, together, are the closest living relatives to seed plants. "Today's systematists are using genomic tools to rewrite the textbooks on animal and plant evo- lution," says James Rodman, program director of environmental biology at the National Science Foundation, which funded the research. "This research is the latest major rearrangement of the plant tree of life. It will encourage others to explore ferns as model organisms for basic ecological and physiological studies." This research calls for rethinking the "family tree" of green plants. Also, it uncovers a research shortcoming. All inain plant model organisms used for research (such as Arabidopsis, which recently became the first plant to have all its genes sequenced) are recently evolved flowering plants. This limitation could compromise scientific research. Models in the newly identified fern and horsetail lineage are heeded to round out the study of plant development and evolution. This could help scientists fight invasive species, engineer genetic traits, develop better crops and prospect the botanical world for medicines. The new research uses morphological and DNA sequence data to show that horsetails and ferns make up one genetically related group, which evolved in parallel to the other major genetically related group made up of seed plants and including flowering plants. "Our discovery that 99 percent of vascular plants fall into two major lineages with separate evolution- ary histories dating back 400 million years will likely have a significant impact on several disciplines, including ecology, evolutionary biology and plant developmental genetics," says Kathleen Pryer, Ph.D., lead author of the paper and assistant curator in botany at The Field Museum. "Viewing these two genetically related groups as contemporaneous and ancient lineages will likely also have profound con- sequences on our understanding of how terrestrial ecosystems and landscapes evolved." The work of Dr. Pryer and her colleagues builds on the Deep Green project, an unprecedented collaboration of researchers dedicated to uncovering the evolution of and interrelation of all green plants. In 1999, Deep Green reported at an interna- tional botanical conference that DNA analysis indicates that all green plants — from the tiniest single-celled algae to the grandest redwoods — descended from a common single-celled ancestor a billion years ago. Green plants, which include some 500,000 species, are among the best-documented groups in the tree of life. The new paper on ferns, horsetails and seed plants improves scientists' under- standing of that group still further. To learn more about related work, visit these website links: • Phylogeny, character evolution and diversification of extant ferns: http://www.fmnh.org/research _collections/botany/botany_sites/ferns/index.html • The hfe history and fossil record of horsetails: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/spheno- phyta/sphenophyta.html • A plant phylogenetics project called Deep Green: http://ucjeps.herb.berkeley.edu/bryolab/green- plantpage.html ITF IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDETOTHEFIELD A Pullout Calendar of Events for May and June Inside: Exhibits Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs Hands-on Butterfly Fun Learn about butterflies and the habitats they call home 11 through hands-on activities ^• that you'll find near the Living Colors exhibition and throughout the Museum. Put together a butterfly puzzle and learn about the antenna, proboscis and other parts of a butterfly's body. Learn to identify the mark- ings of local butterflies as you draw them with chalk on the sidewalk. Or gain insight into the art of scientific collection and discover how you can help maintain and restore wildlife habitats. Wednesdays, Sattudays and Sundays May 25-Sept. 3 FREE with Museum admission _x fe Field useum New Exhibition- Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden May 25-Sept. 3, 2001 Step into a lush, enchanting world of living color. The Field Museum has created a captivating garden where hundreds of butter- flies will flutter and swirl around you on the southeast terrace. The garden is home to more than 35 species of butterflies and moths that are native to North America. All around you butterflies sun them- selves, sip nectar from flowers and chase one another within inches of your head. Stand very still. ..and one may even land on your nose! As you explore the garden, use our butterfly guides — available in English and Spanish — to see how many species you can identify. You can also watch as new butterflies emerge from their chrysalises (or moths from their cocoons) and expand their crumpled wings to take flight for the first time. Visiting Living Colors is a wonderful way for both adults and children to celebrate the summer Stroll leisurely through this delightful garden, learn about butterfly biology and conservation efforts and marvel at nature's fragile beauty. Don't miss this magical sensory experience. Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden is created by The Field Museum. Call 312.665.7400 for information, tickets or to register for programs (unless otherwise specified). MAY/JUNE 2001 Your Guide to the Field: A pullout calendar of events for May and June. Don't Miss Sue's Birthday! After 67 million years of being buried in tlie earth, Sue is celebrating her first year in her new home at The Field Museum. We'll celebrate throughout May with a variety of activities for all ages. Family Programs Sue-per Birthday Parties Join us for a birthday breal? The Eternal Frontier New Discoveries Series \^ Tim Flaunery, Director, South Australian Museum Premier paleontologist Tim Flannery will unveil his latest book and trace the development of the North American landscape from an asteroid strike 65 million years ago to today. Saturday, May 5, 2pm $12; students/educators $10; members $8 -3fti. ?ZBIGNIEWBZOAK African Rock Art: Paintings and Engravings on Stone j^^ /^ Author Alec Campbell ^^ atid Photographer David Coulson Discover an almost forgotten past through the rarely seen artistic masterpieces of our ancestors. Enjoy images and stories from the first comprehensive book on Africa's rock art. Wednesday, May 16, 6:30pm SI 2; students /educators $10; members $8 iM>9V\ Below is a calendar of the temporary exhibitions you will have an opportunity to visit in 2001. Some dates may change. Remember to call or visit our website for specific information. Kinetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth Into Art and Science March 23 through July 8 Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Rente and African American Identity April 13 through July 15 Kachinas: Gifts from the Spirit IMessengers Through July 22 Make your own ro(ixiti£,,dinosiiur puppet. Gallery Performani Teens Toj^ctlier Ensemble Learn about the evolution of dinosaurs and the science of paleontology through dance and song. Every Saturday and Sunday in May. I lam and Ipm FREE mth Museum admission Behind the Scenes jng Out Chicago's Birds Workshop Dr. David Willan^^offecfmn^fmager, Field Museum Division of Biut Take an insider's tour of the Museum's bird collection and learn how ornithologists conduct their research. Then use our Birds of the Midwest guide on nature walks this summer. For adults and children grades 1 and up Fridayjune 15, 6— 8pm $15; members $12 ©JOHN WEINSTEIN/GN89270-36AC This just in... Exploring the Source of the Amazon River Field Forum Series Explorers Zbigniew Bzdak, Piotr Chmielinski and Andrew A. Pietowski Enjoy the riveting photographs and anecdotes of three Polish-American explorers from the expedition that, with support from National Geographic and the Smithsonian Institution, has finally pinpointed the source of the Amazon River. Lecture in Polish: Saturday, May 19, 1pm Lecture in English: Saturday, May 19, 3pm $15; students /educators $12; members $10 Ticket includes admission to the Field and Amazon Rising at Shedd Aquarium. Presented jointly by The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and The Polish Museum of America. Internationally renowned paleoanthropologist and con- servationist Richard Leakey will appear at the Field on May 10 at 6:30pm. Leakey is famous for his fossil finds, for taking on ivory poachers to save the African elephant and, most recently, for working to bring democracy to his native Kenya. Call 3 12. 665. 7400 for details. Richard Leakey In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World May 18 through October 28 Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden May 25 through September 3 Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire June 14 through November 4 -ave a fun-foam cloth and find other hands-on learning tivities when you visit the special exhibition Wrapped Pride or the permanent exhibition Africa. tOam- Ipiii ^imdays and Sundays from April 13— July 75 ilEE with Museum admission Other Programs The Museum offers a variety of hands-on activities to make your family's visit special. Listen to stories, sing songs, dissect an owl pellet, make an art project and more! Check the Information Desk for details on the day of your visit. Fun activities can make your family's visit speciiil. Adult Fieldtrips Chicago Waterways Iri'ing Cutler, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Cliicdgo State University From the Chicago Locks to the Calumet River, cruise Chicago's inland waterways to get a unique perspective on the ecological, economic and historical development of this great city. Saturday, June 9, 9am— 5pm $50: members $43 Weekend Birding Trip to Black Swamp, Ottawa County, Ohio Alan Anderson, Naturalist Break out the binoculars! The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is home to wetland birds, shorebirds, ducks, herons, hawks, migrant warblers and nesting bald eagles. Fruiay-Sunday, May 18—20 $I.S 5; members $170 Thf : :• Museum and the Chicago Audubon Society are co-sponsoring this trip. Adult Courses The Goddess Hathor and the Temple of Serabit El-Khadim Tliomas Mudloff Consulting Egyptologist/ Website Moderator, Discovery Channel Discover how Hathor — sometimes worshipped as the Egyptian goddess of fertility, other times feared as the destructive Eye of Re — represents the "goddess principle" in myth. Saturday, May 12 10am— 4pm $55; members $47 enne Sigmund Freud: Cleopatra of Egypt: Opens August 10 Conflict and Culture From History to Myth October 3 through December 9 October 20 2001 through March 3, 2002 The following activities are free witli Museum admission. libition tours Hear the stories behind some of our exciting exhibitions on our daily Highlights Tours. On weel:^Ni jN'^-rRS" ^ V.ASSiC-'^u&ET-s DtPARTVEM' OF GEOSCi£MCES IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDE rOTHEFIELD A Pullout Calendar of Events for July and August Inside: Exhibits Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs 'ormances: The Magic Behind Puppetry See some of the theatrical artistry represented in Julie Jaymor Playing with Fire come to life. The Chicago troupe Jabberwocky Marionettes will illustrate the creativity and technique behind shadow puppetry, marionettes and the ancient Japanese tradition of Bunraku puppetry. July 1-Nop. 14 Saturdays and Sundays 1 lam— 3pm FREE with Museum admission _I fe Field useum % New Exhibition ire New Lxnmiiion — Julie Taymor: Playing with F June 14-Nov. 4, 2001 Extraordinary sets, masks and costumes will ignite your imagination. After more than 25 years of making spectacular theatrical art, critically acclaimed designer and director Julie Taymor has received wide public recognition for her recent triumph on Broadway with Disney's The Lion King and the debut of her first feature film, Titus, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange. In this exciting exhibition, you'll see full-scale sets, puppets, masks, costumes, video clips and props that Taymor has used to create her larger-than-life worlds of spectacle and pageantry. You'll also discover how Taymor blends cultural traditions from around the globe and across the centuries to tell universal stories of love, lust, compassion, revenge, cruelty and innocence. Her inspirations range from 18th century Japanese puppetry to Mexican muralism to African textile motifs to Shakespearean traditions. Her work is right at home at the Field, where you can draw parallels between her designs and objects in our Africa, China and many other cultural exhibitions. Join us for an inspirational experience that celebrates an artist's vision and the creativity and ingenuity of cultures throughout the world. Julie Taymor; Playing with Fire was organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University This exhibition and its national tour are made possible by Ford Motor Company. Major support is also provided by Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and PricewaterhouseCoopers. General Museum Information: 312.922.9410 Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 JULY/AUGUST 2001 Your Guide to the Field: A pullout calendar of events for July and August Create Your Own 'Theme for a Day' at The Field Museum — ^ fe^: can't enjoy it all in one trip. Bring this pullout calendar with you on your next visit and follow the Nature Lover's Tour. Then come back again for the Masks of the World Tour. Or develop your own theme by selecting from our more than 35 world-renowned exhibitions. 'S'' y ^ ■■■■.'•^M Nature Lover's Tour For all ages n start your day with L/ving Colors: A Butterfly Garden, on the southeast terrace through Sept. 3. Step into a lush, enchanting world where 55 species of butterflies and moths swirl around you. Experience nature's fragile beauty up close as new butterflies emerge before your eyes. Stand very still... and maybe one will land on your nose! Families should look for hands-on butterfly activi- ties throughout out the Museum (see Family Programs). ^ Continue on to Nature Walk (Hall M-7W on the Museum's visitor map), where you'll find scenes of butterflies and other animals in their natural environ- ments. Follow a trail through prairies, wetlands, woodlands and ocean shores. A Get a new perspective on the insects and soil that support summer gardens in Underground Adventure (Hall G-3/4E). You'll shrink to the size of a bug and explore an immersive, interactive environment where everything is 100 times its normal size. n Finish off the day in the Small Treasures Gallery (Hall G-4E) with Insects: 105 Years of Collecting. Enjoy spec- tacular insects and learn about what goes on behind the scenes at the Museum to develop the scientific collections that help us learn more about our natural world. Living Colors; A Butterfly Garden is created by The Field Museum. ^ Mj^osanto is the lead sponsor of Underground Adventure. In Underground Adventure, see what life is like through the eyes of a bug! 8 IN THE FIELD CALENDAR General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 Masks of the World Tour What can a mask tell us about the culture that created it? Find out when you explore the Museum's cultural exhibitions, focusing on the masks that you'll find along the way. For all ages Start near the totem poles in the Northwest Coast exhi- bition (Hall M-3E on the Museum's visitor map). You'll find more than 200 masks in the nearby exhibition cases. What are they made of? What symbols do you see? What do you think the colors or expressions represent? KInetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth into Art and Science Closes July 8, 2001 Hands-on fun brings dinosaurs to life. Set a T. rex and other life-size dinosaur sculptures into motion and learn how these creatures may have run, roared and fought. Visit Kinetosaurs on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10am-2pm, and enjoy addi- tional gallery activities led by Museum staff. Kinetosaurs is created by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Sculptures by John Payne of Payne Studios, Asheville, NC, 1998, 1999. Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity Closes July 15, 2001 Trace the origins of the kente cloth that is celebrated in Ghana. You'll discover how this colorful, bold fabric has become a pow- erful icon of African heritage for people throughout the world. See the Family Programs listings for information about Kente Cultural Learning Stations. This exhibition was organized by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History and the Newark Museum, Newark, IMJ. This exhibition and its national tour are made possible by Ford Motor Company. The exhibition has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, dedicated to expanding American understanding of history and culture; the National Endowment for the Arts; and the Getty Grant Program for the publication. Additional support for the Chicago presentation is provided by the Field Associates, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation and Chicago Tribune. Thursday Night Mixers Outdoors at the Field The Field Museum is the place to be on Thursday nights this summer! Join us on the iVluseum's north terrace for food, drink, gorgeous views of the city skyline and live music from Chicago's hottest bands. Ttmrsdays tlirotigh Sept. 6, 7— 9pm, $10 per person Advance tickets atmlahle through Tkketinaster at 312.902.1500 or wunatL-ki- o- - . able at entratue. Call 3 12.6' . Please noterlhis eivnt is outdoor: exhibitions will not he open u Held in partre-i ■_ ~ Tlie Museum's productions. July 12 July 19 July 26 Aug. 2 Aug. 9 Aug. 16 Aug. 23 Aug. 30 Sept. 6 Bumpus Underwater People Casolando Michael McDermott Domestic Problems Robert Cornelius 7 Umphrey's McGee TBD Below is a calendar of the temporary exhibitions you will have an opportunity to visit in 2001. Some dates may change. Remember to call 312.922.9410 or visit our website for specific information. Kinetosaurs: Putting Some Teeth into Art and Science Through July 8 Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity Through July 15 Kachinas: Gifts from the Spirit Messengers Through July 22 Dancing with Dinosaurs: The Story of Sue Tccih Together Ensemble Learn about the evolution of dinosaurs and tlie science of paleontology through dance and song. Weekdays throtij^hoiit July and August, 10:30am and 1pm FREE with Museum admission The following activities are free with Museum admission. Weave a fun-foam cloth and find other hands-on learning activities when you visit the special exhibition Wrapped in Pride or the permanent exhibition Africa. Saturdays and Sundays through July 15, 11am— 3pm Learn about butterflies and the places they call home through a variety of hands-on activities. Put together a but- terfly puzzle, draw butterflies with chalk on the sidewalk and discover how you can grow your own butterfly garden. Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 2 1 1am —3pm ^v Naturalist Certificate Program Celebrates 5th Anniversary Deepen your knowledge about the natural environ- ment and share this passion with others through the Naturalist Certificate Program (NCP)! The Field partners with The Morton Arboretum, which originally developed the certificate, and the Chicago Botanic Garden to offer this series of field-oriented classes in ecology, botany, zoology, geology and interpretation. The Field joined this program in 1996, and more than 250 nature enthusiasts are currently enrolled to pursue a certificate. 'M started with a few courses, and before I knew it, I was taking all the courses I could," says Steven Thomas, a lawyer and avid camper who shares his enthusiasm and increased knowledge with his 8-year-old daughter and her classmates. "Chicago is a terrifi. place to study the environment because of its amazing biodiver- sity. Within a short drive, we have access to prairies, forests, wetlands, dunes, bogs and lakes." In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World Through October 28 Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden Through September 3 Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire Through November 4 Curious beginners to more experienced naturalists can enjoy NCP classes, which attract students from a variety of backgrounds for personal and professional development. Students can take just a few courses or earn a certificate by taking 13 to 15 courses. jdents can take courses at any of the three campuses, each - which offers a unique experience. At the Morton Arboretum dfid Chicago Botanic Gardens, courses highlight the natural landscapes available at those institutions. At the Field, courses ;n the Museum's exhibitions and vast scientific collec- : . i and take students to wilderness sites throughout Chicagoiand for fieldwork. "NCP is a great partnership. Together the three organizations are offering adult learners a program with a lot of depth and diversity." Beth Crownover, The Field's Educat'C^ ' Department ' lime: i-ac imEiiii3*iiI Listen^^^PotT^st^^OTf^n^Take an art project to take home — all in just 20 minutesl One adult for every three child'- pease, fvleets in the Living Together exhibition. For younc and their families. ipiii daily itijuly Jiid August ' s progra-Ti is soc^soreo oy tng Stragusa r Every weekend you'll find a selection of hands-on activities through- out the Museum. You may meet a soil scientist at work, see your name in Egyptian hieroglyphs or dissect an owl jjellet. Every Saturday and Sunday! 10am— noon and l—3pm Field Museum docents help bring history to life in this full-size replica of a traditional Pawnee lodge. Daily! Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-4:30pw Weekdays, 11am, 11:30am, 1pm and 1:30pm July-August NCP Courses Dr. Patrick Leacock, Department of' Botany, Tlie Field Museum Learn the basic biology of fungi, their roles in the envir- onment, characteristics of major groups and how to identify a mushroom genus. Wednesdays, July 18 and 25\ 7-9pm P. Saturdays. July 21 and 28, 9am— 1pm SI 30, members $110 ^ll^c^Z^ -^12M5.7400fbriutWi Pr^ ^•^riir m DTODD i Cheyenne Visions Opens August 10 Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Cuitu October 3 through C re )ecember 9 Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth October 20, 2001, through March 3, 2002 General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Information and Ticl,-_/ and the Oriental Institi are collaborating on a series of programs to complement the Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth exhibition at The Field Museum and the permanent collections at both institutions. This exhibition has been organized by The British Museum in collaboration with The Fondazione Memmo, Rome. International Sponsor BP National Sponsor Exelon i ;*■ VATICAN MUSEUMS, VATICAN CITY Visitor Information * •afessT" ^■- -• J ■^ \ f Or, get additional Cleopatra tickets now! If you plan to see Cleopatra beyond the members- only viewing, member passes and advance tickets are now available. itfer Benefits: Family memtfers car^receive four passes, and senior, student, individual atid national affiliate members can receive two passes. j -- • ; , Purchasing Additional Tickets: Cleopatra tickets for an additional member in your household are $10 each. Cleopatra tickets for a non-member guest are $10 each plus general admission. The Museum offers discount combination tickets that include basic admission, with greater discounts for children, seniors and students. / Ordering Tickets: To guarantee entry at the time of your choice, reserve your tickets through Ticketmaster at - 312.902.1500 (fees will be assessed), or visit the membership desk (no additional fees). Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis for same-day viewing or future dates. lav viewi: \ Exchanging Tickets: Me^nbers may exchange tickets for a future date at the membership desk. No refunds are available for unused tickets. For information, visit ivww.fiel4museum.org, or call the membership office at 312.665:7700 ■■*' i Another M emorabre M embers' N i g h Thank you to the staff who worked hard to prepare their activities and the members who brought their family and friends to Members' Nights. We appreciate everyone's enthusiasm and involvement in creating another unforgettable experience. Here's what one member wrote: I'm not sure who had the better time: my four-year-old grandson who got to hold a snake; my 22-year-old son who got a "private" lecture in the Egypt exhibition; my husband, who had all his questions answered by the Sue staff; or me! Our entire family wants to say, "Thank you very much!" -Chestine Puralewski ft JULY/AUGUST 2001 Field Museum Tours at a Glance For information, call Field Museum Tours at 800.811.7244 or email fmtours@sover.net. Please note that rates, prices and itineraries are subject to change and that prices are per person, double occupancy. Egypt Revisited Oct. U-28, 2001 (15 days) Explore spectacular archaeological sites and monuments not seen on your first trip. (First-time visitors should see EgN'ptian Odyssey below.) Highlights feature Abusir, Dashur, Maidum, Faiyum, Tanus, Abydos, Dendara, dawn at Abu Simbel and three nights cruising Lake Nasser, plus lesser-known sites in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Leader: Frank Yurco, Egyptologist Price: $4,325, not including airfare Nature and History in New Zealand Oct. 27-Xov. U, 2001 (19 days) _New Zealand's diversity will astound you. On North Island visit Goat Island Marine Reserve, Tongariro National Park, the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, Tokomaru Bay, Gisborne and Wellington "s Museum of New Zealand and Botanic Gardens. On South Island tour Christchurch's Canterbury Museum, Dunedin, Queenstown and Milford Sound. Leaders: John Terrell, anthropologist, and Scott Udgard, geologist Price: $5, 895, not including airfare (estimated $1,995 jitom Chicago) Egyptian Odyssey Oct.28-Nov. 11,2001, or Jan. 27-Feb. 10, 2002 (15 days) Explore the ^vorld of ancient pharaohs by land and riverboat. Visit the famed pyramids of Giza, The Egyptian Museum, the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, Karnak, the temples of Khnum, Horus and Isis, and Abu Simbel's three colossi of Ramses II. Enjoy five-star accommodations throughout. Leaders: Egyptologists Tliomas Mudloff (Oct.) and FrankYurco (Jan.) Price: $4,325, not including airfare (estimated $945 return Jrom NY) Amazon by Riverboat Dec. 1-9, 2001 (9 days) Explore the Amazon, Ucayali and Tapiche Rivers in Peru for eight days aboard a 14-cabin riverboat. Search for river dolphins; howler, squirrel and capuchin monkeys; sloths; and capybaras, plus unusual birds such as the jabiru and hoatzin. Optional extension to Machu Picchu, the magnificent archaeological sites around Cuzco. Leader: William Burger, botanist Price: $3,890. including round-trip airfare from Miami Mysteries of Earth: An Expedition by Private Jet Jan.20-Feb. 13 or Feb. 14- March 10, 2002 (25 days) Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the world's most remote habitats: the vast flora and fauna of the Amazon; volcanic Canary Islands; great apes of Borneo; annual migration in Tanzania; wildhfe of Nepal; rare species of the Galapagos; undersea life of the Great Barrier Reef; moai of Easter Island; tribal cul- tures of Papua New Guinea; the Seychelles; and Samoa. Leader: Social scientist Michael Shertner Jan.) and II ayne Rcinne)' (Feb.) Price: $36,950, including airfare from Miami and return to Washington, D.C.. on ajirst class, 88-seat prifate jet Tanzania Migration Safari Feb 1-14, 2002 (waitlisted), or Feb. 19-March 4, 2002 (14 days) Travel at the best time of year to see the spectacular herds of the Serengeti Plains. Hundreds of thousands of wilde- beest and tens of thousands of zebras and antelope amass in this area each year, attended by lions, cheetahs, hyenas and other predators. Enjoy four days in the Serengeti, then three days at Ngorongoro Crater. Zanzibar extension. Leader: Zoologists Bill Stanley and Mar)> Anne Rogers (first trip) and David Willard (second trip) Price: $6,245, not including airfare Belize March 29-April 7, 2002 (10 days) Enjoy a perfect combination of Mayan sites, rainforests, wildlife and the Caribbean. Visit the pyramid of Lamanai, panoramic Xunantunich and the spectacular Tikal. Observe howler and spider monkeys, coatimundi, peccary and hundreds of bird species, and snorkel along the Barrier Reef at Hoi Chan Marine Reserve. >ill ^Bl^ »s^^>^^B^^^^^^H Septembei Octobei- 2001 The Field Museum's Member Publication Web Key Identifies ^Tanzknian Mammals Cleopaira of Egypt: . J^rom History Mijspum W plcnmps Npw Vice President of Academic Aff;^ir<; Dr. Robert D. Martin starts this September as the new vice president for academic affairs. Trained at Worcester College, Oxford, England, he has spent most of his career in biological anthropology and has strong interests in paleontology and conservation. For the past 15 years he directed the University of Zurich's Anthropological Institute and Museum. Having published more than 200 articles, books and translations. Dr. Martin is one of the world's leading figures in primate biology and the origin of humans. Among his numerous scientific honors is election as a fellow to the UK Institute of Biology and the Zoological Society of London. ITF: What sparked your interest in primates? RM: The interplay of chance and opportunity. From Oxford, I went to Germany to study tree shrew behavior as a model for the beginnings of primate evolution. Tree shrews were then thought to be the most primitive living primates, but I discov- ered that the mother leaves her infants in a separate nest and suckles them only once every two days. Since primates excel in parental care, I began to question the link between tree shrews and primates. My Ph.D. thesis turned into a complete re-examination of early primate origins. The crucial importance of museum collections became obvious, and I became deeply involved in the methods used to work out evolutionary relationships. Later, in seeking a good home for a cherished pair of hand-reared tree shrews, I began a long-standing relationship with the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (JWPT). In 1975, I edited the proceedings for the first international conference on breeding endangered species in captivity and subsequently played an advisory role at JWPT for 25 years. This connec- tion fostered my interests in conservation. ITF: Tell us about your subsequent work. RM: As a postdoctoral student in France — where the biggest bonus was meeting my wife, Anne-Elise — I switched to real primates and chose the relatively primitive lesser mouse lemurs. I visited Madagascar in 1968 to collect the first detailed data on their behavior and ecology and was also exposed to the realities of conservation problems, particularly deforestation. Once again, museum collections proved to be vital. At that time, only a single lesser mouse lemur species was recognized for Madagascar, but I identified a clear divi- sion between two main species. Now at least eight can be recognized. I then became a lecturer on primate evolution at University College London (UCL). In 1974, I moved to the Zoological Society of London to direct research on reproduc- tion, primarily of New World monkeys, and in 1975, I was a visiting professor at Yale University. A few years later I moved back to UCL to become first reader and then professor in biological anthropology. I also co-organized an interna- tional conference, which lead directly to the pioneering Prosimian Biology (1974) and later to The Study of Prosimian Behavior (1979). I continued fieldwork in Madagascar, South Africa, Panama and Brazil, with growing concern for conser- vation problems. ITF: How did your focus shift to early humans? RM: In 1986, I moved to the University of Zurich to direct the Anthropological Institute and Museum. Following my aim to "climb up the primate tree," I focused on Old World mon- keys, apes and humans. This was partly spurred by hands-on experience with museum exhibitions. I also launched collabo- rative research on computer-assisted paleoanthropology, using a new system that begins with CAT scans of fossils at a local hospital, progresses to 3-D imaging and reconstruction and ends with actual replication of reconstructions using stere- olithography. We applied this first to Neanderthals, so I had finally reached the top of the primate tree! I also developed a joint investigation of the effects of population fragmentation in the Barbary macaque as a model for primate conservation genetics. In between, I completed the textbook Primate Origins and Evolution (1990), widely used in courses on biological anthropology and primatology and as a reference source for research. This was followed by the award-winning Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution (1992). ITF: What is your vision for academic affairs? RM: Individual meetings with almost every curator revealed a stunning level of achievement in all areas, ranging from exceptional success in obtaining grants to publishing in the best journals. My top two priorities will be to provide the proper infrastructure and encouragement for optimizing research and to work toward improved pub- lic appreciation of the Museum's collections and associated scientific achievements. I shall seek new ways to use the Museum's vast collections. A unified computer catalogue is needed, and new techniques such as 3-D visualization and analysis and comparative DNA studies can be explored for specimen research. The Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution has been amazingly successful and cost-effective; one challenge is expanding it without endangering its incredible vitality. A rolling program of expert evaluations, essential for strategic planning and maintaining excellence, will also be established. I will also promote strong university connections. Nearly every curator is linked with a local university, so it is simply necessary to maximize use of the Museum's facilities for student research projects and teaching. hnut Tn thp F South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. INTHEFIELD Sept/Oct 2001, Vol.72, No. 5 Editor: Amy E. Cranch, The Field Museum Design: Depke Design Copy editor: Laura F. Nelson In the Field is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. All images © The Field Museum unless otherwise specified. The cover image highlights Cleopatra of Egypt From History to Myth, opening Oct. 20. Ptolemaic queen with vulture headdress, first century B.C., courtesy Musei Capitolini, Rome. Round-topped limestone stela with Ptolemy VIII before Egyptian deities, c. 142-116 B.C., courtesy The British Museum. In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is published bimonthly by The Field Museum. Copyright 2001 The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. Museum membership includes In the Field subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field Museum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Membership, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District. Field X fe useum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 www.fieldmuseum.org A new web key is the first of its kind to help researchers identify Tanzanian mammals. Left: Macroscelididae, four-toed, long-eared elephant shrew 4 The Museum replicates an Ice Age skeleton to send back to its discovery site in France. Left, middle: Magdalenian Girl 15 Zero in on an exquisitely detailed Burmese lacquer feast bowl in Scientist's Pick. 16 Scientists and volunteers brave darkness and gooey mud to hunt for snakes in Singapore. Left: Cerberus rynchops, dog-faced water snake 21 Membership News gives details on Cleopatra previews, tickets and downtown hotel deals. Muspum Campus Neighbors Shedd Aquarium The Oceanarium Turr]s 10 celebration continues as the Aquarium commemorates its 20 millionth visitor to the Oceanarium in October. The lucky guest will receive special prizes to mark the event. Scheduled activities include Stunning Seal in September and a Penguin Party in October, as well as the new marine mammal presentation that launched in April, Don't miss out on special opportunities to learn more about the animals all year long. For more details about Oceanarium Turns 10 activities or to plan an Aquarium visit, call 312.939.2438, or visit www.sheddaquarium.org. Adier Planetarium Don't miss Solar storms, the Adier's new sky show premiering Sept. 14, 2001, in the StarRiderTM Theater. The sun's far-reaching influence has continued for more than four billion years. In this dramatic presentation, visitors will travel to our nearest star, plunge deep into a sunspot and then emerge to experience the power of solar flares. Discover the sun's surprising effect on our daily lives — from the awesome beauty of the Northern Lights to electrical power grid blackouts and interruptions of satellite-based communications. For information, visitwww.adlerplanetarium.org, or call 312. 922. STAR. SEPT/OCT 2001 INTHEFIELD FEATURE Odd toe hooved mammals, Perrisod, rhinoceros (top) and zebra (bottom) Web-based Key Helps Researchers Identify Tanzanian Mammals Greg Borzo, Media Manager, Academic Affairs With more than 21 million items, The Field Museum's collection of artifacts and specimens is an ideal place to identify various faunas from many countries or regions. The challenge is finding ways to give researchers worldwide access to the collection. To meet this challenge, William Stanley, collection manager of mammals, has organized images and descriptions of the skulls and skins of mammals found in Tanzania on a website — in English and Kiswahili. Although the tool was designed primarily for natural resource managers and biologists at Tanzanian universities, Stanley hopes that most peo- ple with an interest in mammals at any level will find it fascinating, if not useful. "Scientists, students and educators — anyone, in fact — can reach through the web, open a drawer at the Field and study what they find there," he said. How the key works The site, which launched this past summer, is not just a list. Rather, it is structured as a taxonomic key to identify adult mammals. By answering a series of either-or questions, someone with a skuU or skin specimen in hand can narrow down the possibilities until he or she identifies the specimen. Photographs and drawings accompany the questions to illustrate the difference between the two choices presented. As the website visitor, you must choose, for example, whether or not the skull has teeth. Your selection automatically takes you to the next choice — such as wings versus legs or fins, hair versus scales or a trunk versus a nose that is not elongated — ultimately leading you to the genus identification. It is important to remember that the illustrations serve as a reference only and may not exactly match the specimen you have in your hands, just as all humans have teeth but not every- one's are identical. Also, your specimen must match aO the criteria hsted, so even if only one out of five characteristics does not match, then you must choose the alternate description. First of its kind This easy-to-use tool is the first web-based key fofTanzanian mammals. It relies on feedback fi-om users in Tanzania both for alternative and better f ways to phrase the Kiswahili and for ease of use I with the pictures. In addition, using images to J distinguish animals differs from the traditional text- ti book approach, which applies written descriptions I for identification. Finally, it is easier to update a web-based guide with new findings than to update IN THE FIELD a textbook. In Tanzania, as in other counties, new records of known species are being documented all the time, and new species are stiD being discov- ered. The Field Museum does not have a complete set of skulls or skins for all Tanzanian mammals, so Stanley rounded out the set by photographing specimens at the Brookfield Zoo and Smithsonian Institution and soliciting students at the Art Institute of Chicago to draw whales. It is possible that a specimen not available on the key will even- tually be added. Giving bacic to tlie world The new key identifies about 170 mammals to the level of genus, and Stanley plans to extend that to the level of species. "If this model works, it could be a good way to increase access to — and the usefulness of — our collections of plants and animals from other countries," he said. "This is a good way for us to give something back to the world." Stanley focused on Tanzania because he has been studying there for years. The country is rich in biodiversity, especially the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM). Formed millions of years ago, these moun- tains — sometimes called the "Galapagos Islands of Africa" — contain some of the most biologically diverse and endemically rich montane ecosystems in all of Africa. For the past ten years. The Field Museum and the University of Dar es Salaam have investigated the ecology and distribution of EAM small mam- mals, particularly shrews, bats and rodents. These surveys and associated specimen-based research have yielded several new discoveries and an expanded knowledge of the natural history of the group. While the shrew fauna appears to contain the greatest number of endemic species, the rodents also show interesting patterns. Certain rodent species are broadly distributed across the archipel- ago but are not found at lower elevations. The small mammals from each mountain group may offer clues on the uniqueness of the Eastern Arc and the most effective way to conserve the habitat. Throughout the world, scientists have only identi- fied a small percentage of all species that are thought to exist. It is vitally important to identify and classify aU plants and animals to improve our understanding of life on Earth, especially since many species are threatened with extinction. This project is one of the first steps in creating a new generation of tools that will help researchers — even those with little training — identify local fauna, Stanley said. "One of the main goals is to get Tanzanian students interested in mammals and hook future scientists. We have already received one sug- gestion to Hst the different genera so that teachers could go directly to aardvarks, for example, and show their students what an aardvark looks like." Many excellent publications were consulted in preparing these keys, which were developed in collaboration with the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with support from the MacArthur Foundation. Since internet access in Tanzania is hmited,The Field Museum plans to supplement the web-based key with a compact disk. ITF To use the key, visit unmv.fieldmuseum.org/tanzania. At press time, Stanley was in Tanzania continuing his EAM survey and refining the new key. Soricidae, musk shrew (left) and shrew (right) SEPT/OCT 2001 INTHEFIELDFEATURE The Making of a Human: Molding and Casting Magdaienian Girl Amy E. Craiich, Editor All photos by John IVeitisteiii This past summer The Field Museum completed a cast of Magdaienian Girl that was installed at the site of her discovery in the Dordogne Valley of France in July. What drew me to this story was not only exploring why the Museum did this or the process of molding and casting a skeleton. Like many of us who work here or visit the Museum, I was also drawn to the human aspect. From the mundane to the esoteric, I wondered what she looked like, how she filled her days, what her relationship was to her natural world, whether a child had passed through her body. ... Beyond the reflection is a fasci- nating historical look at how The Field Museum acquired this venerated Ice Age skeleton, how we have made it available for additional research and display and how this process has enhanced the Museum's knowledge and experience. Stephen Lalik, an exhibits department preparator, applies Japanese tissue to an arm bone. How Magdaienian Girl came to Chicago Beloved in the world of prehistory, the rock shelter of Cap Blanc, discovered in 1909, contains one of the most powerful remaining friezes of the Ice Ages. Reindeer, horses, bison and other animals roam the walls, and a fine collection of stone and bone tools was unearthed. But excitement over these finds precluded further investigation, and when a protective enclosure was being built in 1911, a workers pickaxe accidentally struck a human skuU. Placed near the big horse ft-ieze, the skeleton was on its side in a fetal position with stones positioned at its head and feet. A fuU anatomical study conducted in the early 1930s debunked speculation that it was a man and con- cluded that it was a young female of about 20 years. Not only is it one of the most intact skeletons of the age, but also one of the few found close to a frieze, indicating a connection to the site or a person of high standing. The original Field Museum display said a small ivory point found above the abdominal cavity may IN THE FIELD have caused her death. Henry Field's 1955 memoirs posed other romantic speculations: "This weapon may have caused blood poisoning. . . . Was she killed by her lover . . . another Cro-Magnon girl ... in battle? Was she the daughter of the sculptor-high priest?" During that time period, interestingly, ivory was uncommon in France, and there is Httle evidence of human-to-human violence. However, while the first official report omits discussion of the ivory point, the excavators' original correspondence confirms that there was one, shedding Ught onto how she might have died. The pre-historians who had extracted the skeleton had trouble selling it in Paris, and it was eventually returned to J. Grimaud, the site's owner. Nine years passed before he attempted to sell it again, negotiating first with the American Museum of Natural History in New York. With a high price of $12,000 and an absence of associated archaeological materials, the American Museum decHned. Harvard University's Peabody Museum also declined, at which point Grimaud's lavvyers persuaded him to drop the price to $3,000. While the American Museum's interest piqued again, it stuck with its original decision to decline. In 1926, Henry Field stepped in and closed the deal — for $1,000. He wrote in his memoir, "I hurried to New York and . . . packed her very carefully in cotton wool and carried her in a suitcase to a compartment on the Twentieth Century (train). We had a very uneventful night together." Touted in the media as "the only prehistoric skeleton in the United States," Magdalenian Girl received 22,000 visitors the first day she was displayed. Nothing like that had happened in the Museum's history up to that time. Molding and casting the skeleton In 1999, Field Museum President and CEO John McCarter went to France and met an archaeologist who reminded him of the connection between our skeleton and France's Cap Blanc site. As a gesture of good will, McCarter gave the archaeologist and another colleague access to our collections and archives to piece together how the skeleton made its way from France to Chicago. Upon their request, and with their resources, the Museum also agreed to follow up on the original plan of 1912 — to place a cast of the skeleton in front of the frieze, thus restoring this essential Ice Age site. Before molding and casting began this year, the Museum's anthropology department tested the skeleton's condition and determined that the bones are lightweight and fragile, with cracks, chips and other abrasions. Most had been treated at some point, though there are no records here that describe such work, and the bones were filled with various materials. A yeUow-tinted shiny material or wax-like substance coated several surfaces, and a chalky, gray or flesh-colored material fiUed some porous areas. WiU Pestle, a collections manager who specializes in human remains, produced a complete inventory of the bones. While on exhibit, some of her bones had been set incorrectly, and she was laid out lengthwise as opposed to the original fetal position. "Now each bone is listed as an individual specimen to make managing her more complete, accurate and efficient for further study," said Pestle. 1. Sealing — Since the bones had not turned into either fossils or stone, the preparators worked closely with the conservators to identify a safe sealant. Wherever the bones were porous or cracked, the preparators covered them with thin Japanese tissue that was tamped in place with various grades of the sealant in a surgical-grade acetone. The sealant and tissue can be reversed once the casting has been completed. Matthew Groves, repHcation shop supervisor in the exhibits department, said, "In our opinion, we have done the best possible job to keep the chemicals out, partially out of respect and partially for science." 2. Seams — The preparators determined where to place seams, since having the correct number of parts to a mold is paramount to protecting the specimen. 3. Clay — Using a wax-based clay, the preparators built walls around the bone to dictate how the rubber would move on the bone. 4. Rubber — Several types of rubber were tested to find one that was soft, elastic, the least adhesive and quick to set. The team chose a silicone rubber with a good range of properties and long life. It was either painted on in layers or poured according to the size of the bone. 5. Plaster — Once the plaster was appHed, which retains the rubber, the completed mold was carefully opened up, piece by piece. The original mold can Building day around the lower jaw SEPT/OCT 2001 be kept as an ancillary to the collections, and from it, the Museum can produce about 20 more casts for further research before the form wears out. Even with 1 5 years of molding experience in the fine arts. Groves was initially reticent toward work- ing with human remains. He was part of the team that reconstructed Sue, but the dinosaur's bones have lithified, or turned to stone, and are thicker, stronger and less Ukely to be penetrated. "Once Magdalenian Girl was decommissioned and taken off display, we got up close and could really see the beaut%' of the bones, their personality," he said. "1 had second thoughts but decided that keeping the process in-house would allow us better control and the ability to do the best possible job within an atmosphere of respect and care." Molding and casting Magdalenian Girl also opened up the opportunity to use new materials in a different way and learn about how the body works. Ultimately, no matter where in the process one is involved, it is about learning and disseminating new knowledge. Groves said, "The recipients were pleased with the quality of the cast, and it made me feel good that we kept the process here at the Field." Ethical issues Working with human remains inevitably highlights some interesting ethical issues. During the conser- vation analysis, there was some debate about which bones to hold aside for testing. Scientists generally agree that the teeth are the most appropriate to test because they are not porous like other bones and do not easily absorb other materials. Magdalenian Girl's teeth are in excellent shape; they had not worn down, and the molars were coming in at the time of her death. But there is an aesthetic argu- ment to extracting erupting teeth. The Museum decided to hold an arm and leg bone aside because of their length and ease at which freehand sculpture could be completed. Molding and casting also raised questions about conducting processes that can be destructive in order to make a specimen more accessible and pro- duce information. Destructive samphng involves any process, such as radiocarbon dating or DNA testing, in which a portion has to be removed from the specimen for testing. In addition, issues arose on intellectual property, such as who pubhshes the results, who owns the information and what it is for. As scientific and technical knowledge and processes evolve, situations like this one are good opportunities to review older pohcies and proce- dures and ensure that the safest, most updated and ethical handling practices are in place. Future initiatives Molding and casting Magdalenian Girl has opened the doors to additional research on the specimen. The three most substantial future projects include properly labeUng the bones, acquiring thorough age, sex and metric data and conducting x-rays. Scientists are also considering DNA analysis. The Museum will redesign the manner, safety and security of how she is displayed, as well as upgrade aspects of the Life Over Time exhibition, beginning this fall through 2003. Observing the intense care that went into this process clearly showed me how science and wonder cannot exist without each other. The awe and curiosity I experienced in seeing this Ice Age human up close probably reflects similar responses in a scientist seeking to uncover the facts. While so much of Magdalenian Girl is about the importance of collections — or the research, care and accessibUity of a particular specimen — it is also about the con- nection we have to our origins. Read a natural history magazine, watch a documentary or walk into an exhibition. Inevitably we are irresistibly captivated by clues to where we came fiom and who we are. ITF Lalik labeled each piece and orietited the skeleton cast in its correct position before sending it to France. IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDETOTHE FIELD A Pullout Calendar of Events for September and October Inside: Exhibits Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs Exclusive Exhibition Opens! Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth Oct. 20, 200 i- March 3, 2002 Cleopatra of Egypt promises to be an extraordinary experience. Witin more than 350 spectacular arti- facts and priceless artworks from the world's premier classical and Egyptian collections, this major exhibition explores the life, liaisons and legend of Egypt's tragic queen. Lectures and Films The Field Museum (TFM) and the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute (01) are collaborating on a series of jrograms to complement the Cleopatra of Egypt exhibition f pdthe perma.nent collections at both institutions. I U At the Field Museum Antlent Alexandria Unveiled Pl0ck Goddig, Undenmter Archaeologist and Author Marvel at the valuable new discoveries that famed French underwater archae- ologist Franck Goddio and his team ave pulled from Cleopatra's ancient 'al quarters, which are submerged in arbor of modern-day Alexandria. day, Oct. i5, 6:30pm 12, students /educators $10, 'FM and OI members $8 Cleopatra of Egypt: I > From History to Myth 11/ t •^^''" Walker, The British Museum # This exclusive exhibi- A Eli: tion has already i 1 appeared in Rome J 1 6v and London. Don't M m miss it at The Field It M ^r^i Museum — the only iJ |J m/jt^ North American W 7 j^Hr' venue and the last ^ V j^PV stop on the tour! M u ^^^^ Visit the Cleopatra % ? ft'^^p website at www.field- Jq i museum.org/ S J 1 Cleopatra. fl 1 II 1 This exhibition has been organized by The ^ HI Mk British Museum in collaboration with The ■e / Hear Cleopatra's extraordinary story ■from the scholar who curated the exhibition. Saiiirday, Oct. 20, 2pm j $12, students /educators $10, 'M and OI members $8 XFil ■^. ^: Fondazione Memmo, Rome. International Sponsor BP National Sponsor Exelon At the Oriental Institute 1155 E. 58th St. Call 773.702.9507 for information. Cleopatra in Context: A Princess Descended From So Many Royal Kings Dr Robert K. Ritner, University of Chicago Wednesday, Oct. 24, 7:30-9pm $17, TFM and OI members $15 Pre-registration required. Portraits of the Queen: The Ancient Struggle Over Cleopatra's Image Ian Moyer, University of Chicago Wednesday, Oct. 31, 7:30-9pm $17, TFM and OI members $15 Pre-registration required. Free Film Series Films are followed by docent-led tours of the OI's Joseph and Mary Grimshaw Egyptian Gallery. Who Was Cleopatra? Sunday, Oct. 21, 1:30pm Cleopatra: Destiny's Queen Sunday, Oct. 28, 1:30pm V-, General Museum Information: 312.922.9410 Museum Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 I SEPT/OCT2001 7 Your Guide to the Field: A pullout calendar of events for September and October New Exhibition-Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture Explore the life and legacy of one of the most influ figures of the 20th century. Manuscripts reveal Freud's key ideas and vintage photographs illustrate his life, while television and movie clips demonstrate ho\N his theories have become a part of popular culture. Oct. J- Da: 9, 2001 T-9 Analyzing Freud ; A fft^i^f ->?T-- >/ ,' ^ f This exciting new program combines yie breadth and depth of a college course with the ''/ flexibility to tailor your studies to your inter- "^ ests and schedule. Enjoy fKUdA'^z'm':^ ¥rQu6 as a lecture series. Or enroll in the complete course, which also includes readings, assignments and discussion labs through the Unive/sity:of ,^ Illinois at Chicago. *jm^'' Lecture Series ,^H^U^ ^^^^^^ Individual lectures: %i2, students /educatojx-$ 10' ' -J members $8 ^^- A^^^^^^ ^ ^ '^ Attend all nine lectures and save 20 percent 'on tne full series: %86, students /educators $72, members $58. Attend three lectures and save 15 percent: $30, students /educators $25, members $20. Credit Course ^ Enrollment information for Analyzing Freud (LAS 494) is available from UIC at www.oce.uic.edu or 312.996.8025. '4^A^^ FOTngmCT^^ Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture is organized by the Ulfrary of CBngi cooperation with the Sigmund Freud-Museum in Vienna and the Freud Museum, London, Analyzing Freud is being presented by The Field Museum in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago Humanities Lab. The Field Museum gratefully acknowledges the Freud Community Advisory Panel for its insight and assistance. >t-*« October Lecture Topics Freud and Our Past Michael S. Roth, California College of Arts and Crafts Get a historical perspective on the relationship between our past and our identity. Curator Michael Roth will discuss Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture and compare pre-Freudian, Freudian and post- Freudian approaches to psychotherapy and memory. Wednesday, Oct. 3, 6:30pm Beyond the Mythologies: Dreaming Across Cultures Dr Waud Kracke, University of Illinois at Chicago Understand how Freud's ideas connect to other perspectives on dreams. Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6pm On the Unconscious Dr. Peter L. Giomcchini, Center for Psychoanalytic Studies Explore Freud's theory that the unconscious could affect conscious thought and behavior. Tuesday, Oct. 16, 6pm , ■-" .e Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Picture Books for Young Children Dr Ellen Handler Spitz, University of Maryland Consider how children's literature contributes to our psychological development. Tuesday, Oct. 23, 6pm Freud and Modern Neuroscience Hugh R. Wilson, York University Trace the connections between Freud and modern neuroscience. . Tuesday, Oct. 30, 6pm Visit untwfielfittMseum.org or mil 312. 665. 7 400 for a list of November lectures. 8 IN THE FIELD CALENDAR General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 >..\r Whether it's world music, Latino culture, films or a fall harvest celebration, join us for these five festivals! m^ J- WEINSTEIN/GN89894.10C City of Chicago's World Music Festival Highlights at the Field include: Groove with Tarika, Madagascar's most-loved musical ambassadors. Saturday, Sept. 22, 1pm, FREE with Museum admission • Discover tlie melodic Dan Tranli, a Vietnamese stringed instrument, played by l\lgo Than Nhan in the Spring Essence IVIusic Workshop. Thursday, Sept. 21, 2- 4pm, $W • Experience the profound poetry of Ho Xuan Huong, an 18th-century Vietnamese concubine. Accompanied by l\lgo Than Nhan, poet and translator John Balaban will read from his acclaimed translation of Spring Essence; The Poetry of Ho Xuan Huong. Thursday, Sept. 27, 6:30pm, $10, members $8 Presented in collaboration witfi The Poetry Center. Unity Day Celebrate how cultures come together around music with sxciting hands-on activities and performances. Saturday, Sept. 22, iOam—3pm Free with Museum admission Poet and translator John Balalyan Celebracion- Our People, Our Americas Enjoy music, hands-on activities and lectures about The Field Museum's research. In particular, learn how a Field Museum research expedition with Peruvian and other international partners led to the creation of a 5,000-square-mile national park in Peru. Thursday— Friday, Oct. 4—5, Warn— 1pm Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 6-7, 11am— 4pm FREE with Museum admission Celebracion 2001 is made possible through the generosity of Abbott Laboratories. Margaret Mead Film Festival View three insightful and artistic documentaries exploring the formation of cultural identity. Saturday, Oct. 13, 1 lam-3pm $15, students /educators $12, members $10 Sor Juana Festival Sample a range of Latino music at this showcase of stellar female musicians of Mexican heritage. Friday, Oct. 26, 7pm. Call for details. Presented in collaboration with the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. Halloween Harvest Festival Commemorate the harvest season and Halloween. Highlights include a family performance from the Rembrandt Chamber Players. Saturday, Oct. 27. Call for details. SEPT/OCT 2001 Lectures New Discoveries Series The Lanzendorf Collection: Marriage of Art and Science John Lanzendorf, Collector ofPaleo Art Discover how dinosaur art fuses scientific inquiry and artistic imagination. Book signing included. Monday. Sept. 10, 6:30pm $20, students /educators $18, mewhcrs Amphibian Conservation in the 21st Century Dr. Michael Lannoo, Recipient of the 2001 Parker /Gentry Award Meet an award-winning biologist who is crusading to reverse environmental degradation that is harming amphibians and may affect human health. Tuesday, Sept. 11, 6:30pm $12, students /educators $10, members $8 Natural Disasters and Ancient Oaxaca Dr. \'elly Robles Garcia, Xational Institute of Anthropology and History in Octxaca Find out how early inhabitants and modern archaeologists have coped with the impact of ruinous earthquakes. Saturday, Sept. 15, 2pm $12, students /educators $10. members $8 Architectural Design: A Response to Culture DougLis Cardinal, Douglas J. Cardinal Architect, Ltd. Discover an acclaimed architect whose work eloquently expresses environment and culture. Sunday, Oct. 7, 2pin $12, students /educators $10, members $8 Presented with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada. Below is a calendar of the temporary exhibitions you will have an opportunity to visit in 2001. Some dates may change. Remember to call 312.922.9410 or visit our website for specific information. In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World Through January 13 Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden Through September 3 Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire Through November 4 Field Trip DcU'id Dolak, Columbia College Do you like to hunt for fossils? Come with us to search for prehistoric plants and animals. Families with children ages 8— 1 7 Saturday, Sept. 22, 8am—3pni $32, members $27 t Older Adult Lecture Series Tuesday Afternoons at the Field Spend a relaxing, educational afternoon with a lecture featuring one of our special exhibitions and a social discussion over complimentary coffee and tea. Each lecture is $15, members $12. Tickets to Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire and Cleopatra of Egypt are not included. Bringing Exhibits to the Field Robin Groesbeck and Robert Weiglein, TFM Exhibits Dept. Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2pm How Freud Came to Develop His Psychology of the Unconscious Dr. James W.Anderson, Institute for Psychoanalysis Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2pm Cleopatra VII: Clever Woman or Seductive Temptress? Frank Yurco, Egyptologist Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2pm The member rate of $12 is available to Oriental Institute members for this lecture. Two of Us Workshop Connie Sulkin, TFM Education Dept.^ Learn about raccoons, Woodland Nativr Americans and dinosaurs as we shai-e stories, songs and hands-on activities. Children ages 3—5 and an adult cotnpanioi, Tuesdays, Oct. 2- Nov. 20 10-1 1:30am or 1:30- 3pm $95 per child, $80 per member child For each child, one adult attends at no charoc This program is sponsored by the Siragusa Foundation Early Childhood Initiative. Adult Courses and Workshops Botanical Painting and Illustration Marlene Hill-Donnelly, TFM Geology Dept. Draw and paint plants with scientific accuracy and artistic style. No experience necessary. Tuesdays, Sept. 18— Nov. 6, 6-8 :30pm $115, members $98 Fossil Basics David Dolak, Columbia College Identify different types of fossils and prepare a real fossil fish for research or display. Wednesdays, Oct. 3—17, 6— 8pm $42, members $36 Spineless Wonders! Dr. Wendy Taylor, TFM Geology Dept. Go behind the scenes to see rare fossil invertebrates and discover how paleontologists study fossils. Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 am-noon $15, members $12 Cheyenne Visions Through March 31, 2002 Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture October 3 through December 9 Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth October 20, 2001, through March 3, 2002 oin us for a'ri evening of family fun and camp out amidst some of our most popular exhibits. Families with children a(;c.< 6-12 5:45pm on Friday, Oct. 5 to 9am on Saturday, Oct. 6 / [ $45 per participant, members S38 On your next visit, look for exciting and fun visitor programs. Hear stories, sing songs, dissect owl pellets, meet scientists and more! Checl< the information desk when you arrive. Take a flashlight tour o/ Inside Ancient Egypt at our family overnight. Adult Fieldtrips Fossil Collecting at Larson Quarry David Dolak, Columbia College Searcli for 400-million-year-old corals and mollusks at an exciting new site for our adult-only fieldtrips. Saturday, Sept. 15, 7am-2pm S48, members $41 The Return of the Sandhill Cranes .4/(7/1 Anderson, Xaturalist Watch these beautiful birds gather in the Indiana wetlands, which attract thousands of cranes each fal Saturday, Oct. 21, 10am-8pm $60, members $50 Cultural Connections Program Travel to area museums to celebrate cultural crversity. Visitwvvw.fieldmuseum.org or cal 665.7474 for details on fall events. kHtv/;]iiliii:]i Becoming Human and Beyond General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 The following activities are free with Museum admission. T^tories behind our fascinating exhibitions on a daily Highlights Tour. Also watch for tours of Jnside Ancient Egypt and Eskimos and Northwest Coast Indians. Bring your own materials and get tips from artists and scientific illustrators. as they create artwork inspired by our exhibitions. ■;■ Ei'cry third Saturday of the month, I lam— 2pm Meet Field Museum scientists and see rarely displayed specimens from our collections. Every second Saturday of the month, llain—2pni Naturalist Certificate Program The Field Museum, The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Botanic Garden offer an integrated program for naturalists of all experience levels. Local Flora: Fall Edna Dauion, TFM Botany Dept. The landscape comes alive when you can identify plants in their ecosystems. Tuesdays. Sept. 1 1, 25 and Oct. 2, 6:30-8:30pm Saturdays, Sept. 15, 29 and Oct. 6, 9am- noon $150, members $120 Field Ecology: Fall Michelle J oh nson , TFM and Chicago Wilderness Study animal behavior and plant life cycles in this outdoor lab. ^i Wedtiesdays, Sept. 12 and 19, 7 -9pm ^^fc Sundays, Sept. 16 and 23, 9am -1pm *"* % $130, members $110 Exploring Mosses, Algae and Lichens Rich Hyerczyk, TFM ^ Discover the paradox these organisms pose to biologists. Wednesdays, Sept. 26, Oct. 3-17 and \bv. 1 and 8. 6-9pm $130, members $110 Illinois Geology: Glaciers and Tropical Seas Gina Wesley and Dr. Darin Croft, TFM Geology Dept. Explore the complex past that led to Illinois' modern landscapes. TImrsday, Oct. 11, 6:30- 8:30pm Tuesdays, Oct. 16 and 23, 6:30-8: 30pm Sundays, Oct. 14 and 28, 9am— 4pm $220, members $180 Interpretive Skills for Naturalists Sara Race and Dan Brinkmeier, TFM Environmental and Conservation Programs Develop your ability to share environmental information with others. Tliursdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, 6— 9pm Saturdays, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3, 9am-noon $150, members $120 For courses atThe Morton Arboretum, call 630. 719.2468. For courses at the Chicago Botanic Garden, call 847.835.8261. Tackle the tough questions raised by the latest scientific advances to make headlines. In this multi-disciplinary conference, leading thinkers will explore primordial questions on what it means to be human in light of new research from the Human Genome Project, robotics, neuroscience, paleontology and artificial intelligence. November 1-3, $240, members of.-\nierican Association for the .■\dvanccment of Science orThe Field Museum S210, students $180 Rei^ister by Oct. I for a discount. 't K-LOESCH.WEXNER CENTER FOR The A Don't Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire Extraordinary sets, masks and costumes will ignite your imagination. Discover how Julie Taymor, best known for her direction of Disney's The Lion King on Broadway and the feature film Titus, integrates diverse cultural traditions to create spectacular theater. Or ,;,,-.,,,,,;, v„. J 2001 Informances: The Magic Behind Puppetry The Jabberwocky Marionettes bring puppets to life. Saturdays and Sutidays through Sov. 4, 1 lam-3pm FREE with Museum admission Cultural Crossroads Weekend Meet the genius behind the P\a:^'mq with F\re exhibition, see her work come to life and explore the roles of performance and creativity with a full weekend of thought-provoking events. Check our website at wvwv.fieldmuseum.org for more details. An Evening with Julie Taymor Tliursday, Sept. 6, 7pm $20, students /educators $18, members $15 Film screening of Titus Julie Taymor will give an introduction and, after the film, answer audience questions. Friday, Sept. 7, 7pm $18, students /educators SI 5, members $12 Playing with Fire — Crossroads in Culture and Creativity Symposium Introduction by Julie Taymor Saturday, Sept. 8, 10am, $25 Exhibit Walk-Throughs With Cultural Experts Tlwrsday, Sept. 6, 5:30pm— —Creatiuity and Cuhure Friday, Sept. 7, 5:30pm — Performance in Cuhures $18, students /educators $15, members $12 Receive a 20 percent discount when you attend a gallery walk-through and the avnt immediately following. Julie Taymor Play'tnq with Fine was organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University. This exhibition and its national tour are made possible by Ford Motor Company. Major support is also provided by Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Breaking Science News Comes to the Field Search and Discovery of Our Earliest Ancestors Meave Leakey, Paleoanthropologist R0«:E CARLTON. Hear for yourself about the controversial new discovery that made headlines worldwide this spring — a 3.5-million-year-old skull, found by world-renowned scientist Meave Leakey, suggests that there may be another branch on the human family tree. Tlnirsday, Oct. 4, 6:30pm $20, students /educators $18, members $15 Visitor Information Hours: 9am-5pm daily. Closed Christmas and New Year's Day. To get tickets: Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth and Julie Taymor: Playmg with Fire are specially ticketed exhibitions. Member passes can be reserved in advance by calling Ticketmaster at 312.902.1500 (service charges apply) or coming to the membership desk near the Museum's south entrance (no service charges). Non-member tickets can also be reserved in advance through Ticketmaster or at the Museum's will call desks. Day-of tickets are available at the Museum, while supplies last. Information: 312.922.9410 orwww.fieldmuseum.org IN THE FIELD CALENDAR SCIENTIST'SPICK When world-renowned Burmese lacquerware experts Ralph Isaacs and Sylvia Fraser-Lu each visited the Museum's collections last year, they both zeroed in on this water bowl, finely adorned with royal figures in an imaginative palace setting. Isaacs suggested it was one of the best pieces anywhere, and Fraser-Lu called it the "piece de la resistance of the collection." Isaacs wrote that its delicate construction implies that the weft of the bamboo foundation is made of horsehair. The detachable hoop, which protects the rim, is possibly the only surviving one of its kind. The bowl's maker, Hsaya Sein, probably crafted it for a competition organized by the British colonial government in Rangoon (now Yangon). He etched "first prize certificate holder" around the upper wall to entice potential customers. The scenes depict the legendary 11th-century exploits of Kyanzittha, army commander to King Anawrahta, whose throne he later usurped. Many stories are based on historical events in which Anawrahta raged wars of expansion against neighboring kingdoms. The bowl, made c. 1910, tells of an attack in Yunnan in southwestern China, supposedly to obtain a sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. SEPT/OCT 2001 Stuck in the mud Amy E. Cranch, Editor W Snake! Snaaake! Sssnnnake! // Depending on whom you ask, this call emanating from the infinite new-moon darkness in a mushy mangrove swamp could signify someone's scariest nightmare — or most thrilling victory. Equipped only with flashlights, plastic bags and bare hands, Harold Voris, curator of amphibians and reptiles, and his entourage of up to 30 volunteers have been slogging through the parks of Singapore collecting water snakes for research. Although abun- dant throughout Asian wetlands, homalopsines are relatively unknown. These live-bearing, rear-fanged snakes are mildly venomous, with a bite, though rare, that only produces an annoying stinging sensa- tion. What makes them intriguing to scientists is that they can tolerate salty, brackish conditions, unlike their freshwater relatives, and they used to Hve solely on land. "Snakes and other reptiles came on land more than 100 million years ago," said Voris. "But about 60 million years ago, several groups of reptiles rein- vaded the sea. We want to find out why — and how." Focused in Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve and Pasir Ris Park, where the mangrove forests take advantage of the interface between sea and land, the studies aim to determine the abundance of homalopsines, as well as detail their ecology. Singapore has a highly fragmented series of small nature reserves, some only as big as an urban park. Impressively, however, the reserves support a healthy, stable snake community; some areas maintain as high or a higher diversity of snakes than other parts of Southeast Asia. This is a good indication of habitat health and an excellent case for active conservation. "The Singapore government has argued that the IN THE FIELD reserve fragments are so small, why bother keeping them?" said Voris. "It would rather turn them into recreational areas hke soccer fields or manicured parks. But they are worth keeping, not just for their biodi- versity, but also as a reservoir for species that have been there over time." Unique to the surveys is the heavy reliance on volunteers assembled through a network of organiza- tions that include the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at Singapore's National University, the National Parks Board and the National Zoo. During one expedition, for example, the work force spent 21 nights in the field and averaged six to 20 people per mght, excluding the investigators. "The consistency and dedication of the volunteers are a pleasant surprise for us," said Voris. "It signifies an interest in conservation. Most of the volunteers are young and will hopefially continue working to save the snakes and remaining natural habitats." During the past trip, the volunteers' only respon- sibility at first was to spot snakes, but it quickly became a jovial obsession. "It was a wild scene with lots of hoopin' and hoUerin' every time someone found a snake," said Voris. "They even started a 'club' for people who had been bitten!" Working during the moon's new and fuU phases, when the tides are accentuated and snake activity is high, volunteers tolerate dark and squishy condi- tions. They use homemade wooden skis or dive booties to navigate through the muddy goop and rely on their hands or tongs to capture the snakes. The volunteers first observe, collect and bag the snakes. Then a team leader, usually Voris, records the data, including the snake's identity, time it was cap- tured and details of its microhabitat. Each snake receives a number, and its weight, length and sex are processed in a laboratory. It is also massaged to regurgitate its food. While land snakes favor small animals such as mice and lizards, these slippery swimmers feed on fish, crabs and other shelled food, which could provide clues as to why they gave up on land so long ago. Most Sungei Buloh snakes receive passive integrative transponder (PIT) tags, or rice-sized microchips injected beneath the skin, that can be read via scanner. This identifies a snake if it is recaptured, while also providing information on how it grows, uses a habitat and how long it lives. Cerberus rynchops, dog-faced water snake The snakes are returned to their capture site within 24 hours. Voris' team also studied six snakes through radiotelemetry over a five-week period. A radio transmitter was surgically implanted in their abdomens that could be detected from a greater distance than the PIT tags. Dr. Daryl Karns, a Field Museum research associate, could track the individual snakes using a radio receiver without having to recapture them for information on their movement in time and space and how they utilized the habitat. The snakes are allowed to recover for several days before being released back at their point of capture. At press time plans were under way for an additional trip this fall to gather information on the aquatic snakes' growth rates under natural conditions. It is also hoped that local researchers will become interested in homalopsines and build on the foun- dation Voris and his team have provided. ITF For more information, visit unmv.fieldmuseum.org /research_coUections /zoology /zoo_sites /snakes. Dt Daryl Karns tracks snakes via radiotelemetry. SEPT/OCT 2001 INTHEFIELDFEATURE Fjpld Ambassadors: Exploring the Possihilities Mark Larson, Matiager, Educational Partnerships and Programs Jordan Liingstnim, Administrator, Educational Partnerships Tracy Kwock, DePriest Elementary School teacher, sits crossed-legged on the floor out- side Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity. She is surrounded by 25 raptly attentive second graders as she reads Kente Colors by Chicago author Debbie Ltft to riglii: Marshall Baltazar (Pulaski Academy), WilheUnina McGee (Shields Elementary), Chris Olsen (Xorthside College Prep), Sylvie AngUn (University of Chicago Laborator)' School), Aurelia Spann (Henderson Elementary) and Eileen Day (Blaine Eletnentary) Chocolate. When Kwock finishes, she distributes six copies to the children to share as they make their way through the exhibition. They squeal \\ith the excitement of recognition, comparing images from the book to the real thing. Insighrfijl questions charge the air. The students emerge with an enriched understanding of kente cloth, a satishing reading experience and a sense that The Field Museum is an extension of their classroom. Kwock is one of 63 Field Ambassadors — classroom educators and administrators who act as liaisons between their schools and the Field. Through orientations and forums. Ambassadors work intimately with Museum educators to explore the Museum and its resources. They meet wth scien- tists, exhibitors and education leaders to develop innovative ways to engage their students and colleagues with Museum content. Imagine... • Sue Hendrickson spends an hour swapping adventure stories with 150 girls from the Young Women's Leadership Charter School. • Nationally recognized storyteller Syd Lieberman reveals the human drama behind a Faberge e^ before Ambassadors tour Kremlin Gold. • Blaine Elementar\- transforms itself mto a "dinosaur museum." • Transfiguration Catholic School hosts an event for its faculty at the Museum, and teachers irom every grade level bring their classes here in response. • Ambassadors meet scientists. w-alk through exhibition models or pose questions to political. literar\\ emironmental and other distinguished leaders they might not otherwise meet. • Ambassadors formed a book club that covers Museum con- tent for different grade levels. If approved, the books are added to a resource list for all teachers. Field Ambassadors was launched in 1999 with 28 dedi- cated Chicagoland educators and has grown dramatically since then. In 2000, the program expanded to 63 teachers. This summer, we received more than 100 applications and selected 60 new Ambassadors. Starting in 2002, 100 Ambassadors will be added each year. We anticipate ha\"ing a Field Ambassador in ever\- Chicago PubUc School and many private and suburban schools, forming a powerflil teacher network that explores and expands the boundaries of possibility- when children encounter the real thing. "The Field Museum," sa\'s Kwock, "is no longer an imposing building filled with knowledge beyond my students' grasp, but rather a place where great discoveries can be made and explored. My students are empowered to ask questions. We have become partners in learning." Imagine that. If you or someone you know- is interested in being a Field Ambassador, call 312.665.7558 or email fieldambassadors@field- museum.org for an application, due June 30 of each year. Field Ambassadors is made possible by a grant from Polk Bros. Foundation with additional support from Tlie \egaunee Foundation and Ryerson Tull Foundation. Last year's Field Ambassadors left thpse words nf enrnuragement. "Welcome to a very wonderful event in your life. We are the 'new explorers' in education!" — Cowl Cleltmd, Transfiguration Catholic School "Expect your mind to soar and your heart to lead you to new challenges."-s ha» arrived at The Field Museum. Hailed after its tirst \^ i^ifrJi'iJxtJfiii^Sts^iS^ei in 1625 as the most informative, current -• -J- J description of the Americas, Johannes de Laets /V JT \f^ ^kscliA'inghf mil West-Iiidieti served as an important source work well into the 1 690s. De Laet. one of the first , flowers only once and dies soon after producing seeds. Opposite pageiYoung Buddhist monks at Lhuentse Dzong carry on centuries-old traditions in Bhutan, a country of about 2 million people cradled among the Himalayas. Isolated ft>r centuries, Bhutan is slowly opening its doors to out- siders, but the royal family and National Assembly arc adamant that reverence fiir the natural world take precedence in determining the course of economic development. IN THE FIELD •;«%-• .^*^; ■^yt:- ,^. ^*iV*-j-fe- -■>*., 'T^dt ^■^ m. >J^ V'v ^ ^ 3 INTHEFIELDFEATURE Top-.Tite masiive takin (Budorcas taxicolorj can balance graccjuUy on us hind legs to reach branches 8 feet high, or prop nselj up aganisi a tree trunk and lean forward until the trunk snaps to gain access to leafy food. Takins liiv in the rugged Himalayan foothills and mountains above 4,000 Jeet, wftere they lead a shadowed life in the broad-leafed and conifer forests, preferring thickets and dense bamboo. Bottom left: A pika (Ochotona sp.) surveys its territory on a snowy rocky slope at 12,000 feet. Tfiis short-eared relatiiv of rabbits is similar to species that are widespread in northern Asia and the Rocky Mountains of Sorth America. Bottom right :Tlie tiny black-throated parrotbill (Paradoxornis nipaleiTiisI lives in small flocks that forai^e for bamboo seeds in the understory of foothill forests at 3,500 to 3,900 feet. Our first field season lasted only eight weeks, and the data are still being anal\-2ed. However, our first assessment is that Bhutan stiU has nearly all of its original wildlife and may have the best prospects in Asia for long-term conservation. Although lai^-scale losing and mining are banned, catde breeds used to produce milk and milk b\products, including the N-ak and mithun, challenge the ecosN^stem with overgrazing and habitat destruction. Also, there is increasing direct competition \\ith humans when rare top predators, such as the snow leopard, brown bear and wild dog. feed on livestock. We hoi>e our carefiil documentation of the distribution and habitat needs of small birds and mammals will help determine conser\-aQon priorities so that a stable balance can be achieved between humans and wild species. In the meantime, generating new information on Bhutan's natural historv' will certainly arouse greater interest in its conservation. Also, offering highly focused programs for our Bhutanese col- leagues about the role of natural histor\' museums in research and public education will help them develop the expertise they need to continue making informed decisions about their country's fiature — a fijture that appears remarkably and refreshingly bright. ITF IN THE FIELD /)( habitats ranging from lowland tropical rainforests at 500 feet to permanent glacier fields at more than 24,000 feet, Bhutan supports one of the widest range of habitats in the world. It is also one of the most stable environments in Asia with 70 percent of the country still forested. Biological diversity is probably equally high, though poorly known. Some of the species eiKOuntered by our team included, from top left, the cutia (Cutia nipalensis), capped langur (Trachypithecus pileatus), boreal owl (Aegolius funereus), a tiny shrew as yet unidentified and a yellow-billed blue magpie (Urocissa flavirostris). Conifer forests predominate the upper elevations, including this fir tree at about 12, 000 feet (Abies sp., pictured at left). NOV/DEC 2001 Top: At our campsite at 12,000 feet elevation, in forest dominated by rhododendron and fir trees, snow fell nearly every night. Tlie pika (page 4) and boreal owl (page 5) were documented at this site. Bottom left: Inseparable from human survival, the yak (Bos grunniens) has served as a source of food, shelter, labor, clothing, fuel and tratisportation for centuries in Bhutan's harsh environment. It cannot sunnve below 10,500 feet and is often found in the most remote regions above 12,500 feet. An endangered species, the yak bears only one young after a nine-month gestation period, and the babies need one year to wean before they can sunnve on their owti. Bottom right: A visual symbol of strength, authority and spiritual unity, Trongsa Dzong is perched high on cliffs overlooking a gorge that was carved out b)' the great Manas River in central Bhutan. Formerly used as fortresses, each dzong now serves as a monastery and administrative center. IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDETOTHEFIELD A Pullout Calendar of Events for November and December Inside: Exhibits Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs New ExhibitiouJ Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture ThroHxh Dec. 9, 2001 Explore the life and legacy of one of the most influential and contro- versial figures of the 20th century. Since his death in 1939, Sigmund Freud's theories have been by turns revered, debunked, revised and reviled. This exhibition is the most comprehensive examination yet of Freud's work and impact. Manuscripts and letters reveal Freud's major theories, vintage photographs illustrate his life, and television and film clips demon- strate how his ideas have been absorbed into popular culture. Organized by the U.S. Library of Congress, which houses the world's largest collection (80,000 objects) relating to Freud's life, the exhibition uses words and images — sometimes contentious, sometimes humorous — to portray a variety of viewpoints. Don't miss this opportunity to inves- tigate Freud's impact for yourself. Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture is organized by the Library of Congress in cooperation with the Sigmund Freud- IVluseum in Vienna and the Freud Museum, London. ^ Field useum Analyzing Freud Series Individual lectures: $12, students/educators $10, members $8. Attend three lectures and save 15 percent: $30, students/educators $25, members $20. Freud and Women Dr. Marian Tolpiit, Institute for Psychoanalysis, Chicago Take a fresh look at Freud's answer to the question, "What do women want?" Tuesday, Nov. 6, 6pm Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler and Eyes Wide Shut Dr. Peter Loewenherg, University of Cahfornia, Los Angeles Explore the connections between Freud's writings, fiction and Stanley Kubrick's film. Tuesday, Nov. i3, 6pm This Helen Ross Lecture is co-sponsored by the Institute for Psychoanalysis. Freud and the Jews Dr. Sander Gilman, University of Illinois at Chicago Understand what being an Eastern European Jew meant for Freud. Tuesday, Noi>. 21, 6pm Analyzing Freud is being presented by The Field Museum in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago Humanities Lab. It is also supported by the Austrian Cultural Institute, NY. The Field Museum gratefully acknowledges the Freud Community Advisory Panel for its insight and assistance. Feature Presentation Anthropology Discovers Childhood: The Impact of Freud Dr. Mary Catherine Bateson George Mason University, Arlington, VA Discover how Freud's work opened up new vistas for research in the field of anthropology. His emphasis on early childhood experience influenced the development of key theories about how individuals become members of larger societies. Tuesday, Nov. 20, 6pm Dr. Mary Catherine Bateson General Museum Information: 312.922.9410 Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 NOV/DEC 2001 Your Guide to the Field: A pullout calendar of events for November and December Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth Your Attendance is Requested by the Queen Tltrough March 3, 2002 Fabled for her sensual allure, Cleopatra is best known for seducing Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, two of the ancient world's most powerful men. But history also indicates that Cleopatra may have been one of antiquity's shrewdest political minds. For more than 20 years she preserved Egypt's independence against an ambitiously expanding Roman Empire. Unravel the mysteries of Egypt's last queen for yourself in Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth. This extraordinary exhibition reveals Cleopatra's life and liaisons through more than 350 spectacular artifacts and priceless artworks from the world's premier classical and Egyptian collections. You'll also discover how Cleopatra's story has endured — - through countless poems, books, songs, paintings, movies, jewelry and other works — for 2,000 years after her tragic death. The Field Museum is the only North American venue for this exclusive exhibition. An Acoustiguide Audio Tour is available for an additional fee. This exhibition has been organized by The British Museum in collaboration with The Fondazione Memmo, Rome. international Sponsor BP National Sponsor Exelon Supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Spend an exciting weekend in the city! Several hotels are offering special packages that include tickets to Cleopat of Egypt. Check our website at www.fieldmuseum.org/cleopatra for details. 8 ! IN THE FIELD CALENDAR General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 Learn more about Cleopatra with these exciting programs! The Field Museum (TFM) and the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute (01) are collaborating on a series of programs to complement the Cleopatra of Egypt exhibition and the permanent collections at both places. Programs at The Field Museum Cleopatra VII: Clever Woman or Seductive Temptress? Afternoon Lecture Series Frank Yurco, Egyptologist Explore the many facets of Cleopatra's identity and enjoy a social discussion over complimentary coffee and tea. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2pm $15, TFM and OI members $12 Tickets to the Cleopatra of Egypt exhibition are not included. Pre-registration is required. Looking for Cleopatra studio Course Cyd Engel, Milwaukee Art Museum Examine ancient portraits in Cleopatra of Egypt. Then create your own portrait using mixed media collage, drawing and text. Saturdays, Nov. 3 and 17, 10am- 1pm $70, TFM and OI members $60 Cleopatra: From Papyrus to CD-Rom Beliind-tlie-scenes Fieldtrip Dr. Janet H.Joluison, Oriental Institute Enjoy a guided tour of Cleopatra of Egypt, then travel by bus to the 01 for a behind-the- scenes look at how scholars piece together meaning from ancient texts. Saturday, Nov. 3, 12:30- 4:30pm $38, TFM and OI members $32 Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cleopatra's Egypt Adult Course Frank Yurco, Egyptologist Discover the ancient Egypt of the Ptolemaic dynasty, when the land of the pharaohs was a center of Hellenistic life and culture, and Cleopatra ruled from Alexandria. Wednesdays, Nov. 7- Dec. 12, 6:30- 8:30pm $85, TFM and OI members $72 Cleopatra in Context: Egypt, the Mediterranean World and Africa Dr James Phillips, TFM Anthropology Dept. Understand Cleopatra's and Egypt's roles in the Mediterranean and African worlds. Sunday, Dec. 9, 2pm $12, students /educators $10 TFM and OI members $8 Programs at the Oriental Institute *««..-*. 1155 E. 58th St. Call 773.702.9507 for information. In Death Immortal Lecture Dr. Robert K. Ritner, University of Chicago Trace Cleopatra's image in literature, painting and sculpture in this slide presentation. Event includes a reception. Wednesday, Nov. 7, 8— 9:30pm FREE Cleopatra's Palace: In Search of a Legend Film Omar Sharif narrates the underwater excavations of ancient Alexandria. Event includes a tour of the OI's Egyptian Gallery. Sunday, Nov. 4, 1:30pm FREE Cleopatra's Egypt Adult course This course is being offered at both institutions. See TFM listing for description and fees. Saturdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 (skips Nov 24) 10am— noon Tlw Lira Ensemble Enjoy Our Peaceable Kingdom Holiday Festival Make The Field Museum part of your holiday tradition! Our Peaceable Kingdom Festival offers fun for the entire family with music reflecting cultures throughout Chicago and around the world. Enjoy performances from Polish-American, Mexican- American and African-American choruses. Saturday- Sunday, Dec. 22-23, ll,am-3pm Wednesday, Dec. 26, llam-3pm FREE with Museum admission NOV/DEC 2001 Family Workshops Fossil Fun for Families Dr. lVef7dYfa)'hT,TFM G^^ hept. Delve into the fascinating world of fossils You'll get to see and touch fossils from around the world, make fossil impressions, handle life-size dinosaur models and much more. Families unth children ages 6-10 A Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 -Ham ^^ SiO. members $8 Literary Reading Killing Indians: Myths, Lies and Exaggerations, by Sherman Alexie World of ' -.J, c»..:^j- e unique voice and social commentary of writer Sherman ..J, whom The New Yorker lauded as one of the top writers of 21st century. A Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Native American from ...shington, Alexie has received critical acclaim for his fiction, )oetry and screenwriting. Alexie's first screenplay, Smoke Signals, A/as honored with the 1998 Sundance Film Festival's Audience Award and Filmmaker's Trophy and is further distinguished as the first feature film ever produced, written and directed by Native iAmericans. Friday, Nov. I6,6:30pm p — students /educators $18, members $15 \ Below is a calendar of current and upcoming temporary exhibitions. Some dates may change. Remember to call 312.922.9410 or visit our website for specific information. Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture Through December 9, 2001 In Her Hands: Craftswomen Changing the World Through January 13, 2002 Cheyenne Visions Through February 17, 2002 Behind the Scenes? Dr. David IVillardf TFM Division of Birds After a busy summer of bird watching, do you have a notebool< full of observations? Go behind the scenes to view our amazing bird collection and compare notes with Field IVluseum scientists. You'll learn how bird scientists conduct their research and what local birds are planning for the winter. Families with children grades 1 and up Friday, Nov. 9, 6-8prn S -15, members $12 During Your Visit Story Listen to a story, sing songs and make an art project to take home — all in just 20 minutes! Meets in the Living Together exhibition. Families with young children One adult for every three children, please. Saturdays and Sundays, 1pm Daily from Dec. 26—30 and Jan. 2-6 FREE with Museum admission This program is sponsored by the Siragusa Foundation Early Childhood initiative. Lectures Becoming Human and Beyond Conference Leading thinkers will explore how new research from the Human Genome Project, robotics, neuroscience, paleontology and artificial intelligence affects our humanity. Nov. 1-3 $210, members of American Association for the Advancement of Science or The Field Museum $180, students $150 Visit www.aaas.org/spp/dser/becominglmman.httrjfor more details. Co-organized by The Field Museum and the Program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Adult Fieldtrips Ethnic Chicago Dr. Irving Cutler, Professor Emeritus, Chicago State University Explore the past and present of some of Chicago's most vibrant ethnic communities, including Maxwell Street, Greektown, Bridgeport, Chinatown, Pilsen and Wicker Park. Saturday, Nov. 17, 9am-4:30pni $60, members $50 Lunch included. A Tale of Two Histories: Early States in Japan New Discoveries Series Professor Gina Barnes, University of Durham, England Compare two divergent historical accounts of the political and social currents running through Japan in the third through fifth centuries — a turning point on the road to state formation. Saturday, Nov. 17, 2pm $12, students /educators $10, members $8 This lecture is part of the Boone Lecture Series on East Asian Anthropology and Culture, named after Commander Gilbert Boone and Katharine Phelps Boone, who endowed the series and gave the IVluseum an extraordinary collection of Japanese art and material culture. Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth Through March 3, 2002 Chocolate February 14-September 8, 2002 The Tiniest Giants: Discovering Dinosaur Eggs March 15~September 2, 2002 Experience life as the Pawnee Native Americans lived out on the Great Plains. Docents help bring history to life in this full-size replica of a traditiona Pawnee lodge. Saturdays and Sundays, lOam- 4:30pm Weekdays, 1pm The Museum offers a variety of hands-on activities to make your family's visit special. Dissect an owl pellet, see your name written in hieroglyphs and more! Check the information desk for details on the day of your visit. Cultural Connections Travel to area museums to celebrate cultural diver- sity. Pre-registration is required; call 312.665.7474. Lithuanian Folk Songs: The Soul of Lithuania At the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture 6500 S. Pulaski Rd. Hear the Knights of Lithuania chorus and learn about the history and impact of the oldest Lithuanian organization in the United States. Saturday, Nov. 17, noon— 2pm or 4— 6pm (select one) $17, members $15 , i I | Parallels Between Us— A Joint Evenki ; 1 ! At the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum 1852 W. 19th St. Discover how the experience of being colonized by Spain has shaped the traditions of Mexico and the Philippines in similar ways. The Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum and Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago are partnering on this event. Saturday, Dec. 1 noon- 2pm or 4— 6pm (select one) $17, members $15 JWRD K LOESCH/WEXNER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 1 - - Filipinos IN Chicago sft fi .>*»v Books such as this arc an important way of passing on cultural heritage, which is the theme of the December Cultural Connections event. «r Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire 11 trough .\'or. 4, 2001 General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Information and Tickets: 312.665.7400 The following activities are free with Museum admission. Hear the stories behind our fascinating exhibitions on a daily Highlights Tour. Also watch for tours of Inside Ancient Egypt and Eskimos and Northwest Coast Indians. Bring your own materials and get tips from artists and scientific illustrators as they create artwork inspired by our exhibitions. Euery third Saturday of the month, 1 lani-2piii Meet Field Museum scientists and see rarely displayed specimens from our collections. Ei'ery second Saturday of the month, 1 iam-2pm Field Museum Unveils Chocolate! Feb. i 4- Sept. 8, 2002 Next Valentine's Day, The Field Museum wil unveil Chocolate, a new traveling exhibition developed and built completely by the Museum's exhibitions department. Immerse yourself in the story of a rainforest treasure as you take a sweet journey for all ages — from the rainforest to the civilization of the ancient Maya, from 16th century Europe to a modern-day candy factory. Chocolate will reveal facets of this luscious treat that you've never thought about before. ocdia\e Plan now for the Unwrapping Chocolate series. Examine the plants, products, history and culture of chocolate in Unwrapping Chocolate: Culture and History, a series of public programs on Tuesday evenings from Feb. 19 to April 23, 2002. Unwrapping Chocolate combines the breadth and depth of a college course with the flexibility to tailor the studies around your interests and schedule. Enjoy this program as a lecture series, or enroll in the complete course, which also includes readings, assignments and discus- sion labs through the University of Illinois at Chicago. Chocolate and its national tour were developed by The Field Museum, Chicago. This project was supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation. Extraordinary sets, masks and costumes wilI^|||||||||||||||||WBation. Discover how Julie Taymor, best known for her direction of Disney's The Lion King on Broadway and the feature film Titus, integrates diverse cultural traditions to create spectacular theater. Julie Taymor. Playing with Fire was organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University. This exhibition and its national tour are made possible by Ford l/Iotor Company. Major support is also provided by Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and PricewalerhouseCoopers. Field Museum Stores Offer Something for Everyone ■'^frj-^vyn , , \\ i II II II P 1. 1) (^ 1 I) i '• -jmimcmmmmntm This holiday season, visit The Field Museum Stores for a variety of new and unique gifts to delight every person on your list. You'll find a full line of Cleopatra-inspired and Egyptian treasures. For an elegant, personalized gift, look for pendants that display a person's name in hieroglyphs and symbolize long life and good luck. Art lovers will enjoy reproductions of Egyptian art on authentic papyrus paper Also select from a variety of intriguing books and other one-of-a-kind accessories. In honor of the world's most famous T. rex, the store is adding new Sue merchandise. Look for umbrellas, plush backpacks, handcrafted Sue ornaments from Poland and reproductions of Sue watercolor paintings created by Museum artist-in-residence Peggy Macnamara. As always, the store also carries an array of fun and educational dinosaur toys. Also look for our exclusive Curator's Choice items. While conducting research around the world, Museum anthropologists personally select ceramics, baskets, carvings and other merchan- dise from the local artisans they meet. This fall, look for pottery from the Shandong Province in China. Every Curator's Choice J WEINSTEIN/GN8879i piece comes with a label providing background information, such as date, locality, artist information and how the item relates to The Field Museum's current archaeological work. Members regularly receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases. On Dec. 1, 2 and 3, the Museum is offering members a 20 percent discount. For more information, call 312.665.7694. CLEOPATRA i'l EGYPT The Museum Stores will feature a variety of Cleopatra-related items and Egyptian treasures, including this exhibition catalogue. \ 1 From HISTORY TO MYTH Hours: 9am-5pm daily. Closed Christmas and New Year's Day. To get tickets: Cleopatra of Egypt; From History to Myth and Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire are specially ticketed exhibitions. Member passes can be reserved in advance by calling Ticketmaster at 312.902.1500 (service charges apply) or coming to the membership desk near the Museum's south entrance (no service charges). Non-member tickets can also be reserved in advance through Ticketmaster or at the Museum's will call desks. Day-of tickets are available at the Museum, while supplies last. Information: 312.922.9410 orwww.fieldmuseum.org ^'""^^B 14 IN THE FIELD CALENDAR SCIENTIST'SPICK Fit for gods of enormous might, muslirooms of Macrocybe titans are among the largest of any fungus. This specimen, three feet in diameter and nearly 16 pounds when fresh, grew out of an abandoned leaf-cutter ant nest. It was collected as part of the Costa Rican National Fungus Inventory, an international project coordinated by Gregory M. Mueller, chair of The Field Museum's botany department. The mushroom is probably poisonous to humans, and the strong cyanide odor it emits indicates there may be an internal toxin keeping fungi-favoring critters away — hence its unstoppable titanic size. The project, which is the largest, most comprehensive inventory of tropical fungi ever attempted, is designed to answer questions about fungi diversity, distribution and biology. In addition to his international leadership, Mueller also manages the research group focusing on mushrooms and other macrofungi for the inventory The Field's own Sabine Huhndorf and Fernando Fernandez are studying ascomycetes, small fungi that appear as black dots on wood and may aid in decomposition, and Robert Lucking works with lichens. Together, Field Museum mycologists and their students cover most major groups of fungi. To learn more, visit www. inbio.ac.cr/papers/gt_hongos/en/index.htm. Gregory M. Mueller, curator of mycology and chair of the botany department, chose this Scientist's Pick specimen. NOV/DEC 2001 I 15 INTHE FIELD FEATURE Tlw hind leg of Haasiophis Olivier Rieppel, Chair, Department of Geology Photos by Mark Widlialm It has been called a paleontological "hot potato." Two groups of scientists have come to very different conclusions about the origin of snakes from looking at the same set of fossils. One says they evolved from land animals, and the other claims they descended from seafaring ancestors. It is complicated to determine which combination of facts and philosophy will prevail, but let's look at where Field Museum scientists stand. Setting the stage Popular groups such as dinosaurs and their descen- dants and relatives evolved during the Mesozoic era (250 to 65 million years ago). Less well known are the numerous groups of reptiles that entered the sea. In the Cretaceous period, the last part of the Mesozoic era, a group related to today's monitor lizards, called mosasauroids, adapted to the sea. Early representatives were small, elongated creatures with a long neck and tail and smaU limbs. Toward the end of the Cretaceous period, the mosasaurs had arrived amongst the largest predators of the sea before they became extinct. The lower jaw of mosasaurs is unique among lizards in two ways. First, the front tips of the mandibles meet in a highly mobile contact. Second, each mandible has an inner joint between the front tooth-bearing bone and more posterior elements. In the 1870s, E.D. Cope explained that this structure allowed mosasaurs to engulf large prey. He classified them in a group he called Pythonomorpha and found them to be related to snakes. The sea, however, is not the only environment for lizards with an elongated body and small limbs. Many land-dwelling lizards that live in loose sand, open grassland, under leaf litter or in self-con- structed tunnel systems show similar adaptations. Some authors, therefore, have sought the ancestors of snakes among such land-dwelling lizard groups. In 1940, G.L.Wall published his groundbreaking observation on the embryological development of a snake's eye, which differs from that of a lizard in profound ways. Some lizard ancestor would have adapted to a secretive (hiding), nocturnal or even burrowing life, correlated with an elongation of the body, reduction or loss of external limbs and a reduction of the eye. In the snake descendants, the eye would have redeveloped completely, but in ways that difier from the eye of lizards. This hypothesis was backed up again in 1973 when two scientists found that the optic centers in the brains of hzards and snakes differ in their embryonic developinent. ^ IN THE FIELD A debate begins The stage was thus set for conflicting hypotheses of snake origins. Do snakes descend from marine mosasauroids or from secretive, nocturnal or even burrowing lizard ancestors? Our current under- standing of snake evolution would seem to favor the latter hypothesis since today's primitive groups, such as blind snakes, thread snakes, pipe snakes and shield-tails, are either burrowing or secretive and have a limited capability to engulf large prey. As one climbs up the evolutionary tree, snakes' feeding mechanics become more sophisticated, and they can eat prey that is larger than the diameter of their head. These boas, pythons and more advanced snakes are called Macrostomata, or big-mouthed snakes. When a python eats, the lower jaw primarily secures the prey in place while the upper jaw "walks" across the prey and pulls it into the esopha- gus. This, however, contrasts with Cope's earlier theory that he used to support snakes' relationship to mosasaurs (of the sea), which placed emphasis on the lower jaw's function in feeding. And then along came... In the 1 970s, a zoology professor at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, George Haas, befriended Arab families that quarried limestone near 'Ein Yabrud in the Judean. This limestone, deposited in a shallow marine environment about 93 million years ago, was rich in fossils, including fishes, turtles and the occasional early mosasauroid and snake. Haas purchased many of these fossils for his collection, yet never expected to come across fossil snakes with well-developed hind limbs. All primitive snakes, including boas and pythons, still retain rudiments of the pelvic girdle and femur, but not almost-com- plete limbs as those found in the 'Ein Yabrud fossils. Haas had spent a lifetime studying land lizards and snakes in search of snake origins, but now he had pulled snakes with almost-complete hind limbs from the sea (figuratively speaking)! His last publi- cations reflect his bewilderment and unwilHngness to concede that snakes might have had a marine origin after all. Haas died during the process of describing the second of the two species he had in his collection. Picking up where Haas left off In 1997, M.S.Y. Lee and M.W. Caldwell re- described Pachyrliacliis, the first fossil snake from 'Ein Yabrud, as a snake rather than a snake-like mosasauroid. Based on its well-developed hind Umbs, they postulated that Pachyrliacliis is not only the most primitive snake known, but also the link between snakes and mosasaurs, a link that implies a marine origin of snakes. I co-wrote a detailed study pubhshed in Fieldiaiia,The Field Museum's scientific journal, that severely criticized their conclusions. I have also joined forces with other scientists who work on the 'Ein Yabrud mosasauroids. Together we described the second species Haas had in his collec- tion, which we named Haasiopkis in his honor. As the best-preserved specimen, it documents beyond all doubts a macrostomatan skull similar to that of a boa and python. But what about the well-devel- oped hind limbs? Two interpretations are possible. If Pachyrhachis and Haasiopbis are primitive, representing the root of the family tree of snakes and the link to marine mosasauroids, then the skull structure and jaw mechanics characteristic of macrostomatan snakes must have evolved twice, once in these fossils and again in macrostomatans.The intermediate groups of snakes would have lost the macrostomatan skuU structure to adapt to a secretive or burrowing mode of life. If, on the other hand, Pachyrhachis and Haasiopkis are classified as macrostomatan snakes, their hind limb may have re-developed from rudiments like those seen in boas and pythons. But lizards have lost their limbs multiple times throughout evolution, and it is also quite possible that snakes did so, too. If snakes are of terrestrial origin, their fossil record could be rather poor; fossilization happens less frequently on land than in the sea. The Mesozoic record of fossil snakes is woefuOy incomplete, indeed, and one could speculate that a variety of Mesozoic snake lineages that may have had well developed hind limbs remain unknown. Limits of a scientific debate With journals such as Nature and Science involved, the debate on Pachyrhachis and Haasiophis has gained prominence in vertebrate paleontology. At this time it seems that the debate has stalled, and that there is no alter native but to agree to disagree. Both Maureen Kearney from the Museum's amphibians and rep- tiles division and I are not satisfied with this state of affairs. The task at hand is to go to the root of the problem and try to understand how the language of science is threatening to break down. The answer may lie in empirical research as much as in the philosophy of science. ITF Tlw fossil snake Haasiophis /rem the mid-Cretaceous period, found in the Judean. The arrow indicates where the hind leg on page 1 6 is located. NOV/DEC 2001 OFSPECIALINTEREST Making Connections and Stayi ng C onnected Laura F. Nelson, Writer The Annual Fund and Founders' Council provide unrestricted support to programs such as turtle conservation in South America. Here, Roberto Aguinda (left) and a member of a neighboring village in Ecuador review a book that the Museum co-created with the Cofan. There are countless ways that friends and supporters come to The Field Museum. Many approach it with a sense of scholarly yearning, others with intrigue. Others want to support the great work that is done at the Museum every day. They may start off as mem- bers, increase to The Annual Fund level (annual contribu- tions of $100 and above) and eventually build remarkable associations through The Founders' Council (annual contributions of $1,500 and above). Whatever the level of giving, every gift helps sustain the operations of this vast institution. Giving to The Annual Fund or Founders' Council gives you greater exposure to collections, research and exhibitions. It also increases the opportunity for more personalized learning, specialized giving, program involvement and one-on-one relationships. Cary Malkin, chair ofThe Founders' Council, initially became intrigued when former Museum President Sandy Boyd introduced him to world- class scholars doing significant independent research both at the Museum and in its name. As a strong supporter, Malkin says, "The opportunity to meet and visit with these scholars is just fantastic." As a member of The Founders' Council, Patricia Schnadig says the Museum's scientific side is what "the public often doesn't see — building a collection, the years of work behind each exhibition and devel- opment of programs from the ground up. There is more to the Museum than the public space." Schnadig's personal connection came through giving to the Field Dreams program of the Women's Board, which is a wish hst of departmental projects that need funding. It includes everything from a color printer to equipment for a field laboratory in China. Schnadig chose to support conservation and environmental work through the Cofan turde preservation project in Ecuador. (See www.fieldmu- seum.org or the Nov/Dec 2000 In the Field for more information.) Schnadig says she has "never worked with people who are so generous with their time in every department. The more involved you are, the more exposed you are to curators and scientists. It is an ongoing education." Jean Carton participates and supports in many capacities. "The interactions and relationships that develop between the curators and the volunteers, and therefore with the public, are wonderful," she says. Carton makes a connection by looking for magical ways to bring facts to our audiences. To this end she helped develop scavenger hunts throughout the Museum. Families can try to find a dik-dik in the Africa exhibition, or discover "How hot is lava?" "Scavenger hunts teach awareness, point of view and height perspective," she says. "You can't talk to a 3-year-old about a giraffe's eyes — they're too high up. But ask them to look for their feet or knees? The child will connect." Malkin, Schnadig and Carton have these experi- ences because they give, and through giving, they learn firsthand how their contribution has helped the institution. Personal learning experiences send financial supporters on an open-ended journey fiDed with opportunities for new perspective. Participating in The Annual Fund or Founders' Council strengthens the Museum's mission to offer education, exhibition and research programs. "There are not too many places in the world hke the Field — they can be counted on one hand," says Malkin. "It is important that this institution receive the support it needs to keep its mission alive." How can I be a part of The Annual Fund? Contributing to The Annual Fund gives you tine opportunity to furtiier support the Field beyond the cost of membership. A minimum gift of $100 or more will give you a 1-year family membership in addition to invitations to exclusive programs and preview/s, based on your level of giving. Please use the enclosed envelope if you w/ould like to mail in a year-end contribution. Contributions can be made by cash, check, credit card or appreciated securities. A matching gift from your company could double your contribution and place you at a higher level. Please check with your employer to see if it provides this opportunity. For more information, please contact Heather Scott at 312.665.7784. IN THE FIELD OFSPECIAL INTEREST Amphibian Rpsparrher Wins Conservatinn Because their skin is permeable to water and the grunge found in it, amphibians are excellent bioindicators. Their abundance and health point to the quality of a habitat. But the recent dramatic decline in amphibian numbers, along with an increase in frog malformations, has many scientists hopping for answers. Dr. Michael Lannoo received the Parker/Gentry Award in September for his research and public education eftbrts on amphibian well-being. His environmental work covers many fronts: researcher, author, university professor, featured Discovery.com expert, biodiversity advocate and conservation biologist. As the U.S. coordinator for a task force estabhshed by the World Conservation Union. Lannoo and his colleagues have documented several factors that contribute to declining and malformed populations — habitat destruction, ultraviolet-B radiation, parasites and pesticides, to name a few. Most of Lannoo's studies are concentrated in the Upper Midwest, which has become one of two U.S. hotspots for amphibian malformation. Clearing and draining the land for agriculture in the early 20th century was a major contribution to amphibian decline. "For every leopard frog we see today, there were probably 100 to 1,000 more alive 100 years ago," he says. Regarding malformations, missing limbs and bizarre outgrowths are the most common ones seen. Disfigured animals do not live long; they are either predated or die quickly because of their inability to move normally. "The grossest of these malformations were not even conceivable 10 years ago. What will it be like in another 10 years?" Lannoo is a full professor with joint appointments at the Indiana University School of Medicine and Ball State University. He also enjoys a summer appointment at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. Tlie Parker / Gentr]' Award, presented amiually by Hie Founders' Council, honors an outstatiding individual or i^roup whose efforts have made a significant, practical impact on preserving the world's rich natural heritage, and whose actions serve as a model for others. Tlie award is named for the late Tlieodore A. Parker III, an ornithologist, and Alwyn H. Gentry, a botanist, who both died on Aug. 3, 1993, while surveying hill forests in western Ecuador. Go to wwu'.fieldmuseum.org/parkergentryfor more information. Leopard frog with an extra appendage off its hack left knee New Dinosaur Expert Already L eavin g Footprints Jokingly called a "15-foot-long, 700-pound duck," a weU-preserved, 70-miUion-year- old fossil found last summer has solved the mystery of what an ostrich-like dinosaur ate and where it lived. Dr. Peter Makovicky, The Field Museum's new assistant curator of dinosaurs, unearthed Gallimimus bullatus in the Gobi Desert during an expedition conducted by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. A thin, comb-like structure on its beak — never seen before — is similar to the filter-feed- ing beak of a contemporary duck. Gallimimus is an ornithomimid, a fast-run- ning, bird-like dinosaur with a small head and long tail. Ornithomimids belong to theropods, the carnivorous dinosaurs that include Tyrannosaurus rex. The crux is that they are toothless. Whereas previous theories showed Gallimimus chasing animals or browsing through trees, this discovery indicates that it may have strained tiny invertebrates and other food particles from water and sedi- ment. It stood about seven feet tall and 15 feet long — large to be slurping up minis- cule portions from the bottom of a pond. Makovicky s find, not fully grown, is about half that size. Caked in sand, Makovicky s team was about to head home when they discovered a near perfectly articulated tail that contin- ued into the rock. Many dinosaurs are found in what is called the "classic death pose," in which their neck tendons dry out and the head is pulled back over the hips. This Gallimimus apparently fell whole into still water, was buried quickly in mud or sand and remained undisturbed; almost all of its bones touched the way they would have in Hfe. Makovicky, who joined the Field from AMNH, co-authored a paper in Nature with Dr. Philip Currie, curator of dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, and Dr. Mark Norell, a curator and chair of paleontol- ogy at the AMNH. The beaks of the two fossils described, Gallimimus and Ornithomimus edmontonicus, probably con- sisted of keratin, the same material found in human hair and fingernails. Makovicky, the Fields first fulltime dinosaur expert, will be building the Museum's dinosaur collection. ^ The skull of Gallimimus bullatus and the rare soft tissue that indicates it was a filter feeder NOV/DEC 2001 19 FROMTHE ARCHIVES The Accide ntal Collector Mark Schweitzer, Special Projects Coordinator, Institutional Adi'ancement Austin Rand, former curator of birds, inquisi- tively studies the huia specimen that he acciden- tally discovered in the collections area. To excel in any field, you need commitment, ability and expertise. But even the most accomplished pro- fessional will admit that a little serendipity now and then doesn't hurt. This is as true in collecting speci- mens for science as it is anywhere else. Consider the experience of Austin Rand, former curator of birds. In 1948, he wrote, "Birds are where you find them — if luck is with you." He meant that a collector would welcome chance, in addition to scientific know-how, when searching for specimens out in the field. He may not have imagined that luck could help him within range of his own office. Four years later, he described an extinct bird that was added to the collection "not through expedi- tion, not through long correspondence, local collection, or exchange, but by accident . . . sitting on a shelf, overlooked, in a corner of the Museum." Heteralocha acutirostris, or huia, is one of about three species of wattled, starling-like birds fi-om New Zealand. While the two other species are represented in the collections, Rand thought the Museum might never acquire a huia. One day he noticed some materials in a dim corner of the collections area, including a dark, pigeon-sized bird with a long, curved bill. Rand had found his huia without even having to leave the building. The specimen was probably collected during the Museum's earliest days and never catalogued. "Now, it goes into our study collection, where ... it wiO remain . . . available for comparison and study," Rand said. Sometimes the specimen finds the collector. In 1938, a Cooper's hawk crashed through a third- floor window. Staff members tried to pick up the stunned hawk, but it revived and led them on a wild chase. The hawk eventually joined the N.W. Harris Public School Extension program as a live educational specimen. More recently, David Willard, collections manager in the birds division, recalls a peregrine falcon that chased a mallard into the Museum's west entrance. The duck died from the impact and became part of the collections. Animals are not the only research specimens that come calling at our door. In 1981, botany staff members discovered a Gastrocyhe lateria mushroom growing near the building's west entrance. Department Chairman Gregory Mueller said it was only the second recording of this species growing east of the Rocky Mountains. "The only explanation I could think of was that the spores must have come to the Museum on someone's feet." he said. "When you see things that are that far out of their range, they are often thought to be dispersed by birds. But people carry things around on them, too." Mueller also recollects that in 1983, the Museum received a shipment of plant materials from Bolivia. "We thought they'd come in ordinary cardboard boxes, but instead, they came in these great baskets," he said. "They were made of palm, and some were even babies' cribs." The delivery unexpectedly brought several fine examples of economic botany, which studies how humans use plant materials for food, medicine, textiles, shelter and other important needs. "So, in addition to the new plants for the herbarium, we accessioned the baskets into our Timothy C. Plowman economic botany collec- tions," Mueller said. Austin Rand's words may ring true in perhaps hundreds of other stories throughout the Museum's research and exhibition halls. Sometimes specimens are where you find them — if luck is with you. MEMBERSHIPNEWS Double Discount Shopping Days Whether you're buying for kin, colleagues or comrades, The Field Museum Stores are a sure thing for holiday gifts. On Dec. 1, 2 and 3, take advantage of a members' double discount — 20 percent off all merchandise, including special Cleopatra-related items, handcrafted gifts, educational toys, books, jewelry and festive souvenirs. Remember to bring your membership card. The store is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For more information, call 312.665.7694. Children's Holiday Celebration It's a dazzling sight — tiny lights cascading the walls, talents of al of eager children donning their holiday best. sorts and hundreds On Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 4 to 6:30pm, member families are invited to the Women's Board's annual Children's Holiday Celebration. Come celebrate cultural diversity and enjoy festive food, entertainment and educational craft-making activities. Keep your eyes open for Santa Claus and a merry elf. Other performers include the Stu Hirsh Orchestra,Jessie White Tumblers, Ballet Chicago Studio Company, Chicago Children's Choir, Mr. Imagination and stilt walkers and jugglers. Reservations are hmited, and tickets wiU not be sold at the door. For tickets call 312.665.7135. Calendar Announcement For years it has been our great pleasure to give you an annual calendar, yet we are sad to announce that, for now, it will no longer be published. Rising costs in paper, printing and production have made it too expensive to offer as a free gift. We thank our previous sponsors and those members who expressed gratitude and admiration for the calendar, and we hope you continue to enjoy other benefits that membership at The Field Museum provides. U.S. Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation 1. In the Field 15. Extent and nature of circulation Average no. copies No. copies of 2 898940 each issue during single issue 3. Oct. 1, 2001 preceding 12 months published nearest to filing date 4. Bimonthly 5. Six A. Total no. copies 55,395 53,000 6. $20 7. Amy E. Cranch, 312.665.7115, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake B. Paid and/or requested circulation 1. Outside-county subscriptions 2. In-county subscriptions 3. Sales through dealers, carriers, street 20,819 26,500 None 20,370 25,217 None Shore Drive, Chicago, Cool< County, IL 60605-2496 (same for nos. 8, 9 vendors, counter sales and other non- USPS paid distribution and 10) 4. Other classes mailed through USPS 24 34 11. None C. Total paid and/or requested circulation 47,343 45,621 12. Has not changed during preceding D. Free distribution by mail 12 months 1. Outside-county 470 536 13. In the Field 14. Sept. 1, 2001 16. November/December 2001 17. I certify that all information fur- nished is true and complete, /s/ Amy 2. In-county 3. Other classes mailed through USPS E. Free distribution outside the mail F. Total free distribution G. Total distribution 3,111 55 4,341 7,977 55,395 4,226 46 2,506 7,314 53,000 E. Cranch, Editor, In the Field H. Copies not distributed 75 65 I. Total 55,395 53,000 J. Percent paid and/or requested circulation 85.58 86.07 NOV/DEC 2001 HHHj Field Museum Tours at a Glance For information, call Field Museum Tours at 800.811.7244 or email fmtours@sover.net. Please note that rates, prices and itineraries are subject to change and that prices are per person, double occupancy. Amazon by Riverboat Dec. 1-9, 2001, or Jan. 18-26, 2003 (9 days) Explore the Amazon, Ucayali and Tapiche Riven in Peru for eight days aboard a 1 4-cabin riverboat. Search for river dolphins; howler, squirrel and capuchin monkeys; sloths; and capybaras, plus unusual birds such as the jabiru and hoatzin. Optional extension to Machu Picchu, the magnificent archaeological sites around Cuzco. Leaders: Botanist William Burger (2001) and zoologist Barr]' Chcriioff (2003) Price: $3, 890, including round-trip airfare from Miami (Dec.) Mysteries of Earth: An Expedition by Private Jet Jan. 20-Feh. 13 or Feb. 14-Marcli 10, 2002 (25 days) Embark on a once-in-a-hfetime journey to the world's most remote habitats: the vast flora and fauna of the Amazon; volcanic Canars^ Islands; great apes of Borneo; annual migration in Tanzania: wildlife of Nepal; rare species of the Galapagos; undersea life of the Great Barrier Reef; moai of Easter Island; tribal cultures of Papua Nev\' Guinea; the Seychelles; and Samoa. Leaders: Social scientist Michael Shermer (Jan.) and geologist Wayne Ramiey (Feb.) Price: $36,950, including airfare from Miami and return to Washington, D.C., on a first class, 88-seat priuate jet Tanzania Migration Safari Feb. 1—14 (wait-listed) or Feb. 19-March 4, 2002 (14 days) Travel at the best time of year to see the spectacular herds of the Serengeti Plains. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and tens of thousands of zebras and antelope amass in this area each year, attended by lions, cheetahs, hyenas and other predators. Enjoy four days in the Serengeti, then three days at Ngorongoro Crater. Zanzibar extension available. Leaders: Zoologists Bill Stanley and Mary Anne Rogers (first trip) and David H 'illard and Tom Gnoske (second trip) Price: $6,245, not including airfare Nature and Civilization in the Mediterranean April 6-20, 2002 (15 days) Enjoy ancient sites and natural history on a 1 5-day voyage aboard an all-suite, 88-passenger yacht. In Greece, explore Athens, Chios, Patmos, Rhodes, Santorini. Heraklion and Knossos on Crete, Delphi, Dodoni, and the bird-life and wedands of the Ambracian Gulf. Experience Kotor, Montenegro, on the Adriatic Coast; and conclude your voyage with a day in Venice, Italy. Leader: Anthropologist Damd Reese Price: $7,945 and higher, not ittcluding airfare April 21-May 2, 2002 (12 days) Circumnavigate Crete on a luxuri- ous 34-passenger yacht, and discover the wonders of the Minoans. Visit the magnificent palaces of Knossos, Phaestos, MaUia and Kato Zakros, and the ruins of Gortyn and Lato. Tour the Heraklion Museum, his- toric Chania and the monasteries of Toplu and Preveh, and drive through beaudflil Kourtahoriko Gorge. Leaders: Anthropologist David Reese Price: $5, 195 and higher, not including airfare Galapagos Islands Adventure July 5-15,2002 (11 days) Journey aboard a comfortable 20-passenger ship to the astounding Galapagos. Home to bird, plant and fish species found nowhere else on Earth, the archipelago has contributed greatly to our knowl- edge of evolution, and has remained much as it was miOions of years ago. Opportunities for up-close wildlife encounters are spectacular, as animals show httle fear of humans. Machu Picchu extension available. Leader: Botanist Michael Dillon Price: $4, 945, not including airfare