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SA SCIENCE LENS
CURRENT
The SA Science Lens is a unique competition in South Africa that
encourages amateur and professional photographers to enter images that
give insight into the world of science and technology and the working
of nature. The ‘SA Science Lens’ exhibition displays the winning
images from this year’s competition. The competition categories were
Science in action, Science close-up, Science as art, On my plate
(about the food we eat), and I see science and technology (submissions
entered by learners).
Dr Simon van Noort, Curator of Entomology at
Iziko, won this year’s ‘Science close-up’ category and was the overall
winner of this year’s competition.
The SA Science Lens competition is
organized by the South African Agency for Science and Technology
Advancement (SAASTA), a business unit of the National Research
Foundation (NRF).
AFRICAN DINOSAUR EXHIBITION: PHASE 1
CURRENT
The African Dinosaur
Exhibition is still in development, but elements of it are now on
display. The main feature is the massive skeleton of the sauropod
dinosaur Jobaria, which was cast from a fossil discovered in
northern Niger by Dr Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago. Also on
show is the huge head of Carcharodontosaurus, a close relative
of Tyrannosaurus, and the skull of the extinct crocodile
Sarcosuchus.
The final phase of the African Dinosaur exhibition will open in
December 2008 and will include a complete overview of the evolution,
diversity and biology of African dinosaurs.
BEADS: RITUAL AND ORNAMENTATION
9 AUGUST 2007 to 31 JULY 2008
TH Barry Lecture Theatre Foyer
The small but rather beautiful ‘Beads: Ritual and
Ornamentation’ exhibition features prehistoric and ethnographic beads
from southern Africa. Objects on display include Nassarius
kraussianus shell beads, dating to 77 000 years ago. These are
among
the earliest beads discovered anywhere in the world. Prehistoric beads
used as grave goods are also shown. More recent beads include
colourful neck ornaments, 20th century tortoise-shell cosmetic
containers decorated with beads, an isidlokolo (otter-skin
cap), iqhina (necklet) and an umtseke (arm ornament)
worn by Xhosa diviners.
Two posters, one of men adorned with beads in ritual
dancing postures, as shown in a drawing by Elisabeth Mannsfeld of a
rock painting in Ngolosa, Eastern Cape (Frobenius Collection), and one
of diviners at a ceremony in East London, Eastern Cape
(1968), contextualize the exhibition.
Enquiries: Sarah Wurz, Tel. 021 481 3888.
/QE – THE POWER OF ROCK ART
CURRENT
The /Qe Power of Rock Art exhibition honours and celebrates the
spiritual energy of the rock art of early South African ancestors.
Original rock paintings from the Eastern and Western Cape, engravings,
painting materials and authentic objects are exhibited. This
exhibition has recently been upgraded with funding received from De
Beers. The three rock engravings cases were fitted with new LED lights
and details of the original localities and significance of the works
was added. A new multi-media unit presenting drawings and notebooks
from the Lloyd Bleek Collection, and cave paintings from the Cederberg,
was installed. This provides more information on the exhibited art in
a dynamic and interactive way.
EXHIBITIONS DURING REPAIR AND RENOVATION
CURRENT
There will be disruptions to
the Iziko SA Museum in the following 12 months because the
Department of Public Works is undertaking the repair and
renovation of the building (the ‘R & R Project’). The
contractors will initially work on the outside, repairing the
roof, painting and repairing damaged ironwork and will then move
inside to fix lighting, replace carpets, paint walls, and so on.
We do not anticipate total closure of the Museum as a result of the
R & R Project, but certain exhibition areas will be closed to the
public at times.
Popular exhibitions that can still be seen, include:
Shark World: See the amazing diversity of sharks and learn
about their biology and conservation.
Coelacanth: This display provides a full account of the
history, biology and conservation of coelacanths and includes a video
of live coelacanths off Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal.
Fossil Stories: Stone Bones of the Ancient Karoo:
Amazing 250-million-year-old mammal-like reptile fossils that reveal
the evolutionary origins of mammals.
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