S o n d er n a m p te like p e rm it uitgereik d eu r d ie R a a d vir N asio n a le G edenkw uardighede, m ag n iem a n d enige fossiele. k lip w e rk lu ie o f die in h o u d van grafle o f g rotte w at d eu r die p rehistoriese b ew oners van o ns la n d g e b ru ik was, versam el o f opgraw e nie. V o o r werpe van onska tb a re w eten ska p like w aarde is reeds d eu r o n ku n d ig e versam elaars ver- nietig.
D ie m eegaande fo to toon 'n beso n d er w a ardevolle skedel van 'n nitgestorw e seekoei- soo rl wat duisende iare gelede langs die V a a lrivier gelew e het. H ierdie sk e d el is etlike /are gelede d eu r p ersoneellede van die M u s e u m m e t d ie vriendelike m ed ew erkin g van m n r. I. M . H ip k in o p die plaas U itzo e k, in die om g ew in g van C ornelia, uitgehaal.
CURB THE URGE TO
CO LLECT
Ha ve you ever th o u g h t of building up y our own private collection of fossils or stone tools ? Here is a w ord of good advice: D o n ’t d o it!
T h e N a tio n a l M o n u m e n ts A ct of 1969 estab lished a N a t io n a l M o n u m e n ts Co un cil which preserves all items of historical, arch aeo logica l a n d palaeontologic al interest. I n a re ce n t c irc u la r this Council stated that " th e ex ca vat ion and remova l of a r c h a e o logical a n d palaeo ntologic al objects by u n a u th o ris e d p erso ns results in the destruction of valuable scientific a n d cultu ral-historic al m at erial. T h e offenders are usually peop le w h o are merely trying to satisfy an urge to collect. In m an y cases, however, they are people with a genuine interest in the early history of the co u n try w h o in their ig n o r ance do u ntold h a r m because they do not collect or exca vat e relics according to sc ien tific principles, can n o t interpret their di s coveries or pub lis h their results, and store their finds in private coleclions whe re they lie, useless and neglected. Tt sh ould always be r e m e m b e re d that a fossil o r a r c h a e o lo g i cal sp ecimen, w ith o u t scientific observation of its real m eaning, is worse th an useless since it represents the de st ruct ion o f scien tific evidence.”
A ccordi ng to the A ct “ n o pe rson m ay destroy , da m age, excavate, alter, remov e or e x p o rt the a n th ro p o lo g ica l or arch aeo logica l conte nts o f graves, caves, rock shelters, middens or o th er places used by the p r e historic or pro to h is to ric occupants of South Africa, or any o th er archaeological or p ala eontologic al object, unless he is in p o s session o f a p erm it issued by the N a tio n al M o n u m e n ts C ounc il.”
T h es e provisions also a pply to rock p a i n t ings, ro ck engravings, stone age im plements and fossils oc cu rring on the surface or open sites. How ever, certain exce ptions ap p ly to mining, engineering and agricultu ral activi ties.
N o d o u b t permits will only be gran te d to properly trained and experienced scientific investigators. T h e object of this legislation is to prevent the dest ruct ion of valuable a 'ch aeo lo g ical and palaeo ntologic al sites and objects.
In the past, certain private individuals such as dr S. H. R ubidg e of G r a aff-R e in et have collected m any valuable fossils. Such collections, if built up scientifically, i.e.
with every fossil and its locality clearly described, can co n tr ib u te greatly to our k no wle dg e of e arly life in South Africa. Ho wever, such private collectors, w ho for instance keep p r o p e r scientific records, are very seldom found.
T h e law o n the protectio n of archa eologica l and pala eontological objects can n o t be en- f o rced w ith o u t the help of the public. N otify the Police if you find vandals at w o rk on such sites and c onta ct your nearest m useum when the fossilized remains of hu m ans , anim als and pl ants or stone tools are found.
HET U GEWEET?
9 Die N a sio n a le M u s eu m is op 20 Julie 1877 gestig en op 20 Mei 1878 die eerste maal vir besigtiging deur die publiek oopgestel.
0 Die eerste voo rsi tte r van die R a ad van K u r a t o re was hoo fre gter (later Presi dent) F. W. Reitz.
# ’n Mediese d o k ter, di. H. Exto n, was die eerste onbeta alde kurator.
0 Die M u s eu m was gehuisves in die his- toriese Raadsaa ltjie in St. G eorgesst raat en is in 1915 na W ardenple in, in Aliwalstraat (w aar dit v a ndag nog gelee is) verskuif.
# Die N asio n ale M us eum is die vierde oudste m useum in die land. Die drie ouer m u se u m s is die Su id-Afr ikaanse M u s eu m , K a ap s tad (1825), Albanie- m u se u m , G r a h a n is ta d (1825) en die Port Eli zab eth -m u seu m (1857).
0
Hoewel die N asi onale M useum die eerste m useum in die V ry s ta at was, hei die V r \ messelaurslosie van Smithfield Vt.naf 1869 ’n versamelin g op gebou wat moonilik as n m us eum in die kleine beskou kon word. Hierdie ver- v imelin g is latei aan die Na siona le Mus eum geskenk.D rie panele m et o p v o ed k u n d ig e inligting o o r \o m m ig e a sp ektc van die w trL sa u m h ed e ta n die N a sio n a le M u se u m , w o rd in medew e rk in g m i l die D irekloraat van K u lh iiii take (O .V .S.-streek), tydens k u ltn iir w ek e op die p lu iie h in d ten tool\ ge^tel D ie m eegaande fo to is o p n kn itu u rw e e k te K ro o n sia d geneein en to o n m m B C ,Sliv e n s. O p vo ed ku n d ig e B ea m p te van die M u se u m , hesig o m d ie \o r n n n v van f.iw u le nun leirlin g e tu n die K ro o n sta d se H o e rs ko o l te verdnidelik. Die p a n ele /' r n d \ n■ lltd ifo n ie in i r Y 'd jn e ifk tfJ ii vertoon en sal m e t verloop Vtin ty d ook in tindei w-ntiu he\tg tig kan w oul.
