MOR lectures cover Sheepeater archaeology, honey bee research-MOR is pleased to host the Extreme History Project Lecture Series
Southwest Montana’s steady snowfall continues into early spring, and with it a full calendar at the Museum of the Rockies. Here’s a look at some upcoming events at your neighborhood museum.
The next edition of the Science Inquiry Lecture Series, What’s Killing the Bees? A Look at the Research with Dr. Michelle Flenniken, will take place Wednesday, March 21st in Hager Auditorium beginning at 7pm. This presentation is open to the public.
Honey bees are the primary insect pollinators of U.S. crops valued at $17 billion annually, but for the past 10 years, honey bees have suffered losses of more than 30% per year. Join Dr. Flenniken, MSU microbiologist and co-director of MSU’s Pollinator Health Center, for a discussion of factors affecting honey bee colony health, and the importance of both basic and applied science in addressing this global challenge.
At each month’s Science Inquiry Lecture, explore cutting edge science topics, their latest developments, and their relevance to society through speaker presentations followed by a Q&A session.
MOR is pleased to host the Extreme History Project Lecture Series, encouraging public understanding of the way our history has shaped our present. Speakers take a fresh look at interesting historical topics. The Archeology of the 130,000 Year-old Cerutti Mastodon Site, San Diego, California with Steven R. Holen and Kathleen Holen is next up on Thursday, March 22nd at 6pm. This lecture will be held in Hager Auditorium and is open to the public.
The Cerutti Mastodon site was carefully excavated by San Diego Natural History Museum paleontologists over a five-month period in 1992-1993. Multiple lines of evidence point to the fact that some early hominin used hammers and anvils to break the Cerutti Mastodon limb bones.
The bone assemblage and associated cobbles are contained within a fine-grain silt/sand in a low-energy overbank deposit along a small creek. Evidence of hammerstone impacts on thick cortical bone shafts includes a large notch, cone flakes and bulbs of percussion. Fragments of impact-fractured limb bones are concentrated around two cobble anvils. One hammerstone shattered on impact and left refitting small pieces concentrated around one anvil. Use-wear evidence of stone-on-stone and stone-on-bone impact are present on the anvils and hammers. Anvil wear/polish present on two bone fragments is additional evidence of intentional hammerstone percussion.
Experimental archaeological evidence supports these interpretations as does evidence of human breakage of proboscidean limb bones on several continents. It is unknown which hominin was present in California 130,000 years ago, however, the various possibilities will be discussed.
Looking ahead, MOR’s popular series Brews & the Big Sky: Montana Made, Montana Brewed. continues with Traps & Taps featuring Draught Works Brewery on Tuesday, March 27th from 5:30–7:30pm. Some of the first Euro-Americans to visit the northern Rockies were fur trappers. Learn more about these hearty backwoodsmen and their adventures. There is a $12 admission including beer tasting, gallery talks, exhibits, and light appetizers for those 21 and older.
Future Brews evening, Yellowstone Tourism with Red Lodge Ales Brewing Company, will close out the series on April 24th.
The Museum’s latest exhibit, Julius Caesar: Military Genius & Mighty Machines, has opened its doors. Included with Museum admission, Julius Caesar is open during regular hours.
The array was born from the desire to recreate a fascinating period of history, as realistically as possible, to explore and experience the mighty machines, gadgets, and clever technologies of the Roman Empire. Showcasing over 100 interactive machines, virtual reality displays, reconstructed scaled models, recreated artwork and frescoes, the exhibition is presented covering four themes: Military Genius, All Roads Lead to Rome, Building Rome, and Entertainment & Lifestyle.
Journey back in time 2,000 years to discover the life, culture, and engineering genius created by the Roman Empire. Handcrafted by Italian artists, this exhibition contains interactive models that integrate science and history. Museum guests are encouraged to explore the innovative machines that continue to influence the technologies of today.
For more information about these and other events, visit www.museumoftherockies.org or call (406) 994-5257. •