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March 29, 2024
MoAW
presents
The Last of the Permian Period
and the end of the Paleozoic Era
click on the button below
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THE LATE PALEOZOIC ERA
from 345 to 250 million years ago
Inundated by the inland invasion of the seas throughout the Mississippian (345 million years ago), the first division of the Carboniferous period, immense tropical forest regions were fossilized into deep carbon bands in the Earth’s crust. During the Pennsylvanian (310 million years ago), the remaining division of the period, reptiles diverged from their amphibious ancestors and began to proliferate on the land. By the Permian (280 million years ago), named for the discovery of fossils near the region of Perm in Western Siberia, mammal-like reptiles (synapsids) had appeared, characterized by developments that would ultimately distinguish them from their reptile ancestors and lead to a new class of animals. All of the continental land masses of the Cambrian collided during the Permian, forming the supercontinent of Pangaea.
The resulting widespread extinction that ended the Permian period and the Paleozoic Era was of such massive proportions that it has never been equaled, over 90 percent of all species vanishing. The decimation of the once dominant multitudes of mammal-like reptiles provided an ecological niche that favored the surviving reptile groups.
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Subclass Synapsida,
Order Pelycosauria
Dimetrodon limbatus
Early Permian, Texas
The aggressive, carnivorous Dimetrodon (“Dual Sized Tooth”), distinguished by a prominent dorsal fin along its back, prowled the upland regions of the swampy delta of northern Texas along the edge of a shallow, drifting sea. The dominant predator of this area, Dimetrodon fed without competition on an abundant population of large defenseless amphibians. Belonging to the archaic order of finback pelycosaurs, these early cold-blooded synapsids were ancestral to the mammal-like reptiles of later Permian times. Dimetrodon was equipped with a ferocious arcade of palatine teeth in addition to the sharp teeth that lined their jaws. Incapable of sustaining an extended chase, they probably hid in the lush vegetation, waiting for unsuspecting prey to stray too close to escape a quick surprise attack.
The creature’s impressive dorsal “sail” provided a large surface area for warming the blood when exposed to sunlight and cooling it when in the shade, although such spectacular features may evolve more rapidly for the purpose of mating displays than for thermal functions. By the Middle Permian, when the climate along the delta became too dry to sustain them anymore, the Dimetrodons disappeared quite suddenly from the fossil record. Brigham Young University.
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Class Reptilia,
Subclass Synapsida
Aerosaurus wellesi
Early Permian, New Mexico
The most primitive of the early synapsid reptile groups, the pelycosaurs may have led a somewhat amphibious existence, similar to that of alligators. Catching and killing its prey in jaws lined with an extraordinary number of sharp teeth, Aerosaurus (“Air Lizard”) was apparently an aggressive predator. Equipped with an unusually long and flat swimming tail, this young pelycosaur probably preyed on fish as well as on smaller, slower reptiles and amphibians.
Although undoubtedly cold-blooded, because of their specialized bone structure the archaic synapsid reptiles are considered to be the ancestors of the therapsids, the later and more advanced reptile group that subsequently gave rise to warm-blooded mammals. Some scientists have also noted affinities between the Early Permian pelycosaurs and the later Permian freshwater mesosaurs, the possible forerunners of the air-breathing, marine ichthyosaurs. Collected by Charles Camp and Samuel Welles in 1928 and identified by Wann Langston and Robert Reisz in 1981, this cluster of Early Permian specimens also contains the dissociated bones of various other reptiles and amphibians including an Eryops and an Edaphosaurus. University of California at Berkeley.
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Class Reptilia,
Subclass Anapsida
Mesosaurus brasiliensis
Early Permian, Brazil
A small freshwater reptile of the lakes and estuaries of Permian South Africa and South America (when the 2 continents were still joined), the slender Mesosaurus (“Middle Reptile”) grew to a length of 3 feet and had jaws lined with needle-shaped teeth for catching fish. The earliest known aquatically adapted animal descended from terrestrial ancestors, its broad limbs were adapted for swimming and appear to have been web-footed.
Although mesosaurs are believed by some to be a transitional stage between the later ichthyosaurs and their early land-dwelling ancestors, due to their extremely primitive aquatic adaptation, there are no actual affinities between the two animal groups to support this supposition. Because the remains of this creature have been found only in Brazil and South Africa, Mesosaurus is one of the very strong links in the chain of evidence for shifting continents. University of California, Los Angeles.
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Sleeping Hermaphroditus
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
(7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680)
Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Announcing the Future
LGBTQ+ World History Museum
In association with the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
presents
BCE to LGBTQ+
Out of the darkness, into the light.
10,000 Years of LGBTQ+ History
The word homosexual is a modern invention. It was used for the first time in 1869 by the Hungarian physician Keroly Maria Benkert (1824-1882).
In one exhibition, BCE to LGBTQ+ dramatically illustrates a vast and universal depiction of LGBTQ+ history, from the mythological to the rulers, warriors, artists, scientists, entertainers, activists, and the unidentified who have contributed to civilization, from ancient epochs and periods to modern society, experienced in a geographical, chronological timeline.
Encompassing 10,000 years, from Mediterranean rock art of 9,600 years ago to ancient Africa, Asia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and on to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Early, Middle, and Late civilization, with a gender-diverse history presented in a global perspective.
This unprecedented exhibition allows visitors to explore and appreciate the human history of LGBTQ+ experiences, contributions, tribulations, and triumphs throughout the millennia to the 21st Century. An immersive experience, BCE to LGBTQ+, Out of the Darkness, Into the Light is a vivid history of humankind’s natural diversity, adaptation, and resilience to thrive.
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Beauties under a Maple Tree,
(Tosei yuri bijin awase) 1784
JAPAN
During the Edo period (1603-1867 CE) whether samurai, priest, or commoner, one was able to engage in both same- and opposite-sex affairs. At the time, men’s same-sex relationships were governed by a code of ethics described as nanshoku (male eroticism) or shudo (the way of youths) in the context of which elite men were able to pursue boys and young men who had not yet undergone their coming-of-age ceremonies, as well as transgender males of all ages from the lower classes who worked as actors associated with the kabuki theater.
Though shudo reached perhaps its fullest expression during the Edo period, its roots date to the 12th century CE. Besides being a conspicuous social reality, these relationships were widely represented in the culture of the period in art, literature, and on the stage. The world of shudo ended with the westernization of Japan in the 19th century. Significantly, while the word nanshoku, made up of the characters for “man” and “eroticism,” was a general term covering a variety of forms of love practiced between men, the parallel term joshoku, made up of the characters for “woman” and “eroticism,” actually referred to love relationships between men and women. It was the case that no concept existed at this time that referred in a general sense to women’s same-sex love and consequently, there was no way of cognitively linking both male and female “homosexuality.”
Although there are some literary and artistic references to sexual acts taking place between women during pre-modern times, women’s same-sex love was not accorded the same level of moral seriousness as that between men. This does not mean that such relationships were not widespread at a time when women, like men, were limited in their interactions with the other sex.
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FREE ADMISSION TO CATHEDRAL CITY RESIDENTS
The Museum of Ancient Wonders (MoAW) is proud to offer free admission to all Cathedral City residents from November 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024, through the City’s Community Assistance Grant Program. The museum is located at 69028-B E Palm Canyon Dr, Cathedral City, CA 92234.
Cathedral City residents are invited to discover the Valley’s newest museum where they will find world-class exhibitions on display with a focus on prehistoric life and ancient civilizations to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts while providing museum diversity for residents and tourists alike.
Please bring proof of residency and fill out a survey before you leave to achieve free admission.
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CURRENT EXHIBTIONS ON DISPLAY |  | |
BEHIND THE MASK:
Ancient African Traditions and Mysticism
From the continent of Africa, thirty-seven ancient masks and sculptures dating from 2,000 years ago until the mid-1800s, representing 12 Central African countries and 27 indigenous communities are presented in the Museum of Ancient Wonders Behind the Mask: Ancient African Traditions and Mysticism, a very special gift from Heather James Fine Art Gallery, Palm Desert.
From a Nok terracotta head of 100 C.E. (Current Era) to the beginning of the 19th Century, this diverse collection of masks and sculptures from antiquity celebrates the tradition of ritual and mysticism from time immemorial. These once-used sacred and revered objects are honored and beloved in addition to being a feared and dangerous entity.
For the people of ancient civilization, masks and sculptures represented the invisible force of nature assigned to them, which may be the spirit of a wise ancestor, a tutelary deity, or any embodiment of supernatural power from the animal kingdom. Used to commemorate the events in their lives, whoever wears a mask combines and unites their strength with the spirit, enhancing value and heightening power, creating a mystical empyreal bond between the past and present, the honored living and the sacred dead. Together for the first time, and a permanent addition to MoAW's inventory of exhibitions, this stunning collection is currently on view exclusively at the Museum of Ancient Wonders.
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ALL UNDER HEAVEN
Earth, Heaven,
and the Afterlife
A Very Special Gift From
Marlene and Bruce Kanter,
Heather James Fine Art
Tim Walsh
Michael H. Healy
Tianxia (天下) or, All Under Heaven, is the ideal of a perfect and harmonious empire in the eyes of the people.
50 original antiquities spanning millennia (3,600 B.C.E. to 1920s C.E.) of ancient Asian cultures, from mysterious funerary objects and life-size protective temple guardians to delicate terracotta sculptures created for the tombs of the deceased. A tapestry of silk and gold thread, a rare lacquered cosmetic box, earthen vessels, and bronze statues, these ancient treasures from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, celebrate the ancient world.
This grand collection of 50 Asian antiquities is divided into three sections: Earthly possessions, objects used by the living, the temple icons of Buddha and Shiva (Heaven), and funerary goods, objects found in the tombs of the elite (the Afterlife). MoAW premieres these dazzling artifacts for the first time together in one exhibition All Under Heaven: Earth, Heaven, and the Afterlife.
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PALEO: The Story of Life
4.6 billion years of fossil history
Drawn from the world’s foremost fossil collections, the unprecedented treasury of fossil casts known as PALEO: The Story of Life brings together in one exhibition some of the most exciting finds in the history of paleontology and paleoanthropology from over a century of worldwide excavations, exhibited in geological, chronological order.
From 2.5 billion-year-old single cellular cyanobacteria responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere to the first multicellular life 700 million years ago, PALEO: The Story of Life spans 4.6 billion years in scope. From the Precambrian, and Cambrian Eras, to the Paleozoic Era, from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods of the Mesozoic Era to mammals and prehistoric humans of the Cenozoic Era (including the famous Lucy skeleton), this internationally acclaimed, comprehensive collection dramatically illustrates the awesome progression of prehistoric life on Earth.
Displaying casts of rare fossils from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, this prestigious collection includes skeletons, skulls, claws, and eggs gathered from such revered museums as the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, The Royal Ontario Museum, the Carnegie Museum, and the National Museums of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, as well as many others.
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THE CRAB NEBULA (M1) IN TAURUS.
Photographed with the 26-inch Crossley Reflector at Lick Observatory. Copyright Regents, University of California. Lick Observatory photograph.
STARSCAPE:
A Journey To The
Beginning of Time
This spectacular collection of 33 space photographs combines breathtaking digitalized images from the historic Mariner, Viking, and Voyager probes with stunning photographs from the Apollo lunar missions, the Hubble Space Telescope, and ground-based observatories. Gathered from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology, the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the Hansen Planetarium, this awesome display of cosmic spectacles is a journey to the early days of the cosmos.
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photo: Steven Salisbury
LUCY:
(Australopithecus afarensis)
The Story of Human Origins
(Courtesy of the Institute of Human Origins and
the National Museum of Ethiopia,
Addis Ababa)
On view exclusively at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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TUTANKHAMUN
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
2022 marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon. To share in the commemoration, MoAW's "Wonderful Things" exhibition is on a nationwide tour. Click on the link below to see the installation on the banks of the Sacramento River at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding CA.
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Please Become A Member of MoAW
by contributing to our efforts
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL SEASONS
The newest perk of membership: Free admission to more than 1,200 museums nationwide through the North American Reciprocal Museum Program (NARM) Plus, discounts at their museum shops and restaurants (if given to their members). Local museums include the Palm Springs Art Museum and Cabot's Pueblo Museum, several museums in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, throughout California, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, including Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is available to all members at the Donor Level ($125.00) or higher. Members who qualify will be receiving new membership cards with the NARM logo to be used at participating museums.
Current members who would like to upgrade their membership to take advantage of this new benefit please give us a call at (442) 268-5004.
Click below for more information and to join.
THANK YOU
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MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods; to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts, colleges, and universities, establishing museum diversity for the Coachella Valley.
LGBTQ+ World History Museum's mission is to educate a diverse audience by chronicling 10,000 years of LGBTQ+ history with learning opportunities residents and visitors would otherwise not be able to experience in the Coachella Valley.
Hours of Operation
Monday through Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday - 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
The last admission is taken one hour before closing.
Admission:
$15.00 Adults
$12.00 Students, Seniors, & Military
$10.00 Group Rate for 10 or more individuals.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MoAW is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, the American Alliance of Museums, and the California Association of Museums. Contributions are tax-deductible and gratefully accepted.
MoAW IS SPONSORED WITH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
BY THE FOLLOWING:
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Alberto Acosta, Executive Director & Chief Curator
Joseph McCabe, Director of Development
Art Laboe Foundation, Inc.
A beloved resident of Palm Springs, Art Laboe was an American disc jockey, songwriter, record producer, and radio station owner. He was generally credited with coining the term "Oldies but Goodies".
Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
The mission of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
is to support Arts & Culture, Youth, Educational, Medical, and
Social Services, and Community activities that enhance the quality of life.
Municipalities & Societies
City of Cathedral City
Cathedral City Historical Society
City of Rancho Mirage
Members and Patrons
Pamela Hannah
Andy Marquez
Greg & DeeDee Barton
Geoffrey Gray-Lee
Townsend Public Affairs
Christopher Townsend
Niccolo De Luca
Anastasia Heaton
Heather James Fine Art, Palm Desert
Marlene and Bruce Kanter
Tim Walsh
Mike Healy
Bjorn Kielman
Lynne Tucker
Zachary Weingart
Karen Speros
Nancy Dobrozdravic
Mary Madison
Carla San Miguel, CSM Traducciones
Margie St. Anthony
Skot Jones
Dean Keefer
Leo Stevens
David Garcia, ARSVIDA.com
Barbara Kerr
Steven Biller
Joe Smith
Kip Serafin
Sandie Newton
Sarah and Malcolm Beresford
Corky and Barbara Goss
KESQ Eye On The Desert
Tarek & Mohamed Ragab, the Egyptian Art Center
Marty Martin, CEO of Origins Institute, Inc.
Scott Robertson & Staff, New Leaf Caterers, Cathedral City
Willie Rhine & Albert Gonzales, 849 Restaurant, Palm Springs
Jack and Sandra Rivers, Canyon Printing, Cathedral City
Gamma Mu
California LGBTQ+ Legislative Caucus
THANK YOU
Founding Financial Partners Include:
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