“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

Between all of our consultation sessions and our trainings, Catherine and I manage to get away for a few hours to visit the National Museum. It is a small, four story museum that house the country’s treasures, including Lucy.

Actually, the “real” Lucy is visiting the US right now, but the replica is indistinguishable. Until recently, Lucy was the oldest adult skeleton excavated and she was found in Ethiopia. She is about 3.2 million years old and was name “Lucy” by be British archeologist who discovered her, after the Beatle’s song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. The Ethiopians prefer their name for her, “Dinknesh” which means “Wonderful”.

Lucy’s brain is no larger than a chimpanzee’s but she walked upright. She was 3.5 feet tall and is one of our earliest ancestors. Her scientific name is Australopithecus Afarensis.

The lower floor also displays many other important archeological human and animal discoveries, as well as painting of many extinct animals.

The main floor is the home of the very ancient sculpture, as well as the clothing, crowns and even a throne of various emperors of the past few hundred years. Paintings and pieces of sculpture from the past few hundred years are housed on the second floor and displays of traditional crafts and tools fill the top floor.

The museum is quite powerful in its simplicity and a must see for everyone who comes to Addis. For me, 3.2 million years is a length of time that my mind has trouble grasping.

Dorothy