When two heavy suitcases with the remains of Lucy were brought to the National Museum in Addis Ababa Wednesday, there was no holding back the emotions of onlookers and even journalists.
The 3.2-million-year-old fossil of a female hominid had been on tour throughout the United States for the past five years.
Now Lucy is back in her African homeland. A woman wearing traditional African garb even offered a red rose to welcome Lucy's return.
"There was a feeling of emptiness in Ethiopia while she was away," said anthropology professor Berhane Asfaw, who has been researching human evolution for the past 30 years.
"Lucy is an icon for all the people in the country."
US paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, who made the discovery of the bones in the Afar Triangle in 1974, also did not pass up the opportunity to take part in the welcoming ceremonies.
"Lucy has a message that overcomes all cultural barriers," Johanson said.
"She is proof that the seven billion people in the world all have the same origin and that basically speaking, we are all Africans."
Lucy got her name because on that November night when Johanson's team discovered the bones, a tape cassette was playing the Beatles' song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
And what was everyday life like for human-like species back then?
"We assume that Lucy lived in forest areas and was a vegetarian," Johanson said.
She might have also eaten crocodile and bird eggs, he said, "and she lived more of a nomadic life while sleeping in nests up in the trees as protection against wild animals".
In her Ethiopian homeland, Lucy is called "dinknesh," which means the wondrous one.
Although some humanlike bones have been found dating back six million years ago, worldwide, it is the name Lucy that has become synonymous with the origin of the human species.
The roughly one-metre tall primate will be on display at a five-day special exhibition before being transferred to a safe place.
Ethiopians will be left with a replica of her in the museum -- along with the knowledge that Lucy is finally back home.
jeudi 2 mai 2013
Addis Ababa: Lucy back home
When two heavy suitcases with the remains of Lucy were brought to the National Museum in Addis Ababa Wednesday, there was no holding back the emotions of onlookers and even journalists.
The 3.2-million-year-old fossil of a female hominid had been on tour throughout the United States for the past five years.
Now Lucy is back in her African homeland. A woman wearing traditional African garb even offered a red rose to welcome Lucy's return.
"There was a feeling of emptiness in Ethiopia while she was away," said anthropology professor Berhane Asfaw, who has been researching human evolution for the past 30 years.
"Lucy is an icon for all the people in the country."
US paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, who made the discovery of the bones in the Afar Triangle in 1974, also did not pass up the opportunity to take part in the welcoming ceremonies.
"Lucy has a message that overcomes all cultural barriers," Johanson said.
"She is proof that the seven billion people in the world all have the same origin and that basically speaking, we are all Africans."
Lucy got her name because on that November night when Johanson's team discovered the bones, a tape cassette was playing the Beatles' song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
And what was everyday life like for human-like species back then?
"We assume that Lucy lived in forest areas and was a vegetarian," Johanson said.
She might have also eaten crocodile and bird eggs, he said, "and she lived more of a nomadic life while sleeping in nests up in the trees as protection against wild animals".
In her Ethiopian homeland, Lucy is called "dinknesh," which means the wondrous one.
Although some humanlike bones have been found dating back six million years ago, worldwide, it is the name Lucy that has become synonymous with the origin of the human species.
The roughly one-metre tall primate will be on display at a five-day special exhibition before being transferred to a safe place.
Ethiopians will be left with a replica of her in the museum -- along with the knowledge that Lucy is finally back home.
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