Burke Blog

Duwamish meanders: A river ran through it

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 21:43:00 +0000

For millennia, the Duwamish River sustained a diverse ecosystem of fertile floodplain forests, marshes and tideflats in what is now South Seattle. The geologic record shows that the Duwamish valley was created by glaciers, then repeatedly transformed by catastrophic volcanic mudflows, earthquakes and floods.

This 1922 photo shows the Duwamish River transforming into the Duwamish Waterway.
The Smith Tower is in the distant upper right and a young Harbor Island can be seen at the end of the channel.
File photo / The Seattle Times.

Arguably the greatest transformation the river experienced in recent history was wrought by human engineering. In the early 20th century, a series of major civil engineering projects diverted the comingled flows of three rivers out of the valley, lowered Lake Washington nine feet, shortened the river by four miles, dredged the river into a navigable waterway, filled in the old meanders, and built Harbor Island—the largest manmade island in the world at the time—by washing hillsides into the tide flats. This was largely undertaken for flood control efforts, navigation and commercial interests.

While the pace and scale of the industrialization of the Duwamish valley rivals that of any major city, it also came at a cost. To Coast Salish people, the expansive tidal mud flats and the wetlands adjoining the meandering river were a valuable resource. The channels, islands and shorelines were all populated with names that recorded sacred landscapes, uses, historical memories and meanings.

The engineered changes to Seattle’s shoreline disrupted ecosystems, eliminated traditional food sources (including a productive salmon fishery) and completely reconfigured Coast Salish people's relationship with this place. The land became Seattle’s industrial and commercial heartland and an engine of economic growth for the city. The factories built on top of the old meanders sustained a vibrant economy through two world wars, helping grow Seattle and the Pacific Northwest into what it is today.

The transformed valley continues to provide thousands of jobs. Major efforts are also underway to clean up the river to make the river safe for fish and people alike. The Duwamish Tribe, which plied these waters for millennia, once again have a longhouse along its banks.

The Duwamish valley/South Seattle mid-1800s and today. Detail of the Waterlines Project Map on left panel.

Creating the "Meanders" installation
As part of the Duwamish Revealed project, Waterlines Project team member Amir Sheikh worked in collaboration with civil engineer Zachary Corum, to support artist Frances Nelson in the creation of a large-scale installation called “Meanders.”

Meanders is an interpretation of one of the old meanders of the Duwamish that ran through what is now South Seattle College's Georgetown campus in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. The site was the location of the King County Poor Farm and the area of initial dredging and filling along the Duwamish River in 1913. This installation literally “reveals” the history of the river beneath your feet at the site.

The Duwamish valley in South Seattle. Area of focus is outlined in yellow.

In order to do this, the team researched historical data and context around the vicinity of the site. Here are some of the materials we used:

The General Land Office (GLO) survey maps and field notes provide information such as tree species and diameters, undergrowth vegetation, rivers, streams and wetlands with their depths and widths along the survey lines. This provides invaluable data in describing historical landscape conditions. The GLO conducted a cadastral survey of the Puget Sound Lowland between 1850 and 1890 for the Public Land Survey System. Selected original survey notes along survey lines are keyed out above. View the survey.

Note the street grid laid out around the river meander in 1906 (South Fidalgo Street
to the north and Corson Avenue running along the eastern side).

The 1907 Army Corps of Engineers map notes river depth soundings.
This map was surveyed due to flooding in 1906 in preparation for flood control planning.

This 1940 aerial photo shows the meander through recently-filled Georgetown.

Note the development on the recently filled meander in this 1943 map.
Slip 2 and Slip 3 on the contemporary Duwamish Waterway are vestiges of this former meander.

This graphic shows river migration through time along with Native place names.
For further information on the Native place names refer to “An Atlas of Indigenous Seattle.”

While we don’t know exactly when the installation site was last occupied by the Duwamish River, we can deduce by calculating meander migration rates from river bank positions shown on the General Land Office (GLO) and Army Corps of Engineers maps that it was likely sometime in the last 300 years. This migration process also helped build the lands next to the river.

Cross section of riverbed elevation and location through the site.
(To learn more about why rivers meander see this video.)

For the purposes of this installation, we used depth readings from a 1907 survey of a stretch of the Duwamish River that ran through the campus site. The depth readings were made into elevation contours to model the channel form.

These contours were then inverted relative to the elevations of the top of the river bank to reveal the historical depths from the banks to the bottom of the river channel. The resulting digital elevation model is referred to as an “inverted meander,” since the resulting contours create a canopy above the ground surface.

A digital elevation model referred to as an "inverted meader" since the resulting
contours create a canopy above the ground surface.

The inverted contour heights were then represented as cloth panels that range from four to 16 feet. The panels are suspended from a mesh structure inspired by the Native place name “təbáli” meaning “Aerial Duck Net Place” (#2 on above map).

Plan view of placement of contours on installation site. Heights of cloth contour panels
annotated in red were derived from 1907 data.

Final installation rendering.

The actual installation. Photos from Duwamish Revealed.

This was a great opportunity to bring together environmental sciences, natural and cultural history, and public art practice.

The Duwamish Revealed Project goes through September 30. Read more about the project in the Seattle Times' article: "'Duwamish Revealed' project means to inspire river's revitalization."

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Authored by: Amir Sheikh, Waterlines Team Member, Zachary Corum, Miles Lost/Miles Gained and Frances Nelson, Artist.

Discover and explore more of Seattle's past landscapes through the Burke Museum's Waterlines Project.

10 of the weirdest fishes at the Burke

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 20:02:00 +0000

By Katherine P. Maslenikov

As Collections Manager of the Burke Museum’s Ichthyology Collection, I spend my days surrounded by millions of preserved fish specimens. We have plenty of the local species that are familiar to most people, like salmon, cod, and flounder, but I find myself more interested in the unusual species with strange adaptations to harsh environments.

Fishes display a fascinating array of specialized anatomy that has evolved over millions of years, leading to the amazing biodiversity we see today. I’ve picked 10 of my favorites to show just a taste of the variety of species represented in the Burke collections. Enjoy!

1) A shark with two heads

This Spotted Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) specimen has been in our collection for decades, but no one knows where it came from. If I had to guess, I would say it was found inside the mother during a dogfish dissection in a biology lab. Dogfish females give birth to live young, so they are commonly used in biology labs to show the developing embryos. These ‘conjoined twins’ would not have made it far in the wild, since they would be easy prey. We’re just glad someone thought to preserve it (them)!

A Spotted Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) specimen with two heads. Photo: Burke Museum

2) An adventurous shark

This beautiful Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciatus) was found in Samish Bay, Washington, making it the northern-most record for this species (the range had previously been documented from Oregon to the Gulf of California). This species is commonly found in shallow waters of bays and estuaries and females can have as many as 24 pups in one litter (shark babies are called pups).

Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciatus). Photo: Burke Museum

3) A fish with a fishing pole

This specimen of the deep-sea anglerfish Diceratias pileatus was sucked up from 1,000 meters by a big pipe off the coast of Hawaii (which is why it is in such good condition). Anglerfishes have modified dorsal fins with bioluminescent (light-producing) bacteria living in their tissue. The fin acts as a fishing pole attached to their heads with a lure at the tip that mimics other bioluminescent animals such as squid or jellies that are found in the deep ocean. The anglerfish lures larger fish to her—attracted by what looks like prey—then she quickly engulfs the fish with her large mouth and sharp teeth. Anglerfish have been known to eat fish larger than themselves thanks to their greatly expandable stomachs. Food is scarce in the deep sea, so it makes sense to be able to eat whatever you can get your mouth around!

A deep-sea anglerfish (Diceratias pileatus). Photo: Burke Museum

4) Parasitic males

Anglerfishes are not only known for their bioluminescence: they also have an amazing mode of reproduction called sexual parasitism. Male anglerfishes are tiny compared to the females and they attach themselves to the female with specialized teeth—some become completely fused to the female for the rest of their lives. Once attached, their circulatory systems merge and the male’s internal organs degenerate since he now gets all of his nutrients from the female. The fused male and female are now free to reproduce. Finding a mate in the deep ocean is very difficult, so this incredible adaptation ensures that once the male and female find each other that they will remain together, able to reproduce repeatedly. Fun fact—the all-time record is eight males attached to one female!

These specimens of Bertella idiomorpha show the large female with the tiny male attached to the side. Photo: Burke Museum

5) A fish with some scary chompers

Deep waters of the ocean harbor some frightening-looking fish species. This Alepisaurus ferox, or Longnose Lancetfish, has 2–3 centimeter-long daggerlike-teeth on the roof of its mouth and in its lower jaw. It is known to be a voracious predator and eats a variety of fish and invertebrates. These fish grow to be over two meters long, are found in all of the world’s oceans at depths as great as 1,800 meters, and are hermaphrodites (they have both male and female reproductive organs!).

A Longnose Lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox) specimen. Photo: Burke Museum

6) A freeloading shark sucker

The various fins of fishes have gone through amazing adaptations through time. This remora (family Echeneidae) has a modified dorsal fin that acts like a suction cup. It can attach itself to the sides of sharks and other large marine animals to catch a free ride, but does not hurt the host in the process. This commensal relationship benefits the remora by providing transportation and protection as well as access to leftover food eaten by the host, while the host benefits from the remora eating its parasites.

A remora (family Echeneidae) specimen with its suction cup dorsal fin. Photo: Burke Museum

7) A fish that sucks

Pelvic fins can also be modified in interesting ways. This Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus orbis) has fused pelvic fins that form a suction cup. They attach themselves to rocks and algae to hold on in fast-moving water (since their golf ball body shape makes them poor swimmers unable to withstand swift currents). This has to be the cutest fish ever.

A Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus orbis) in all of its cuteness. Photo: Burke Museum

8) A fish with “migrating” eyes

Flatfishes—such as halibut, sole, flounder—swim upright like other fish when they're born, but as they develop they flop over on their side and one eye moves up and over the head to the other side, so they end up with two eyes on one side and none on the other! They spend the rest of their lives swimming on their side. The flatfish pictured here (Citharichthys stigmaeus) shows both eyes on one side of this beautifully stained specimen (the staining process involves an enzyme turning the skin and muscle transparent, while the bones are stained red and the cartilage is stained blue).

A stained flatfish specimen (Citharichthys stigmas). Photo: Burke Museum

9) Fish nabbed by border patrol

Seahorses are endangered species and their use in aquariums and international trade is closely monitored. These dried specimens were confiscated at the border from people trying to bring them into the country illegally. (You cannot transport fish or wildlife across international borders without the proper permits and declarations.)

Dried seahorse specimens. Photo: Burke Museum

10) Fish that look nothing like their parents

We have millions of larval fish specimens in our collection, and most of them look nothing like the adults of their species. Larval fish develop special adaptations to live in plankton, like the stalked eyes found on this Slender Blacksmelt (Bathylagus pacificus). As they mature, fish can go through amazing changes to reach their adult form. In many cases, larval fish were described as separate species from their adult forms because people couldn’t imagine what the larvae grew up to be.

A Slender Blacksmelt (Bathylagus pacificus) larval specimen. Photo: Burke Museum

A Slender Blacksmelt (Bathylagus pacifics) adult specimen. Photo: Burke Museum

With so many new species of fishes being discovered all of the time, and a constantly growing research collection, I'm sure we'll soon have more weird fishes to add to this list!

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The Burke Museum Ichthyology Collection maintains a large archival collection of more than 11 million preserved fish specimens from around the world but primarily from the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, and from freshwater habitats of the Pacific Northwest.

See a deep-sea anglerfish, albino ratfish, the two-headed shark, and more unusual specimens in this UW 360 video highlighting the Burke’s fish collection.

For the love of "grotesque" deep-sea fishes

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 18:59:00 +0000

Imagine a creature in the ocean with huge, gnarly teeth, a protruding dorsal fin spine and the ability to expand its mouth and stomach to consume creatures larger than itself.

While this may sound like a terrifying deep-sea monster, Dr. Theodore (Ted) Pietsch, Burke Museum curator of fishes and University of Washington (UW) professor, has grown to love them, having spent a lifetime of study on a group of fishes known as the deep-sea anglerfishes.

Stewart's Footballfish, Himantolophus stewarti, about 6 inches long, described by Ted as new to science in 2011.

“I would have missed out on a lot”
I recently sat down with Ted in his office at the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Science building to discuss his history with these fascinating creatures.

Like many researchers, Ted started down his particular path thanks to a serendipitous moment and a push from a mentor.

As an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, Ted began studying herpetology to pursue his interest in snakes. While he had high hopes to study under well-known herpetologist, his mentor, famous lizard biologist Arnold Kluge, encouraged him to apply to study under Basil Nafpaktitis, an ichthyologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Kluge believed that Nafpaktitis, a new professor at the time who was searching for new students, would provide more opportunities. It turned out to be great advice!

Ted as a graduate student in biology at the University of Southern California, summer 1969.

“Grotesque deep-sea things”
In the summer of 1967, shortly after Ted was accepted to the ichthyology program at USC, he was given the rather unglamorous job of sorting buckets of deep-sea fishes aboard a research vessel. That’s where he caught his first glimpse of an anglerfish.

“Being from the Midwest, I knew what a perch was, but I had never seen these amazingly grotesque deep-sea things before,” Ted remembered. “I went to professor Nafpaktitis and said, ‘What the heck is this?’ and he began to tell me about it... I completely forgot about snakes.”

At the same time that Ted became captivated by these curious creatures, his peers discouraged him from studying anglerfishes because of their extreme rarity. But he would not be swayed!

“I couldn’t stop thinking about them,” he explained.

One way to study anglerfishes was to climb aboard a research vessel to collect them. However, this proved to be very difficult because most deep-water fishing gear only went down to about 1,000 meters and the elusive anglerfish tends to be found at much greater depths of 2,000–5,000 meters.

“You can go out for weeks at a time aboard a research vessel that fishes above 1,000 meters and you may never get one.” Ted said. And then there’s the risk (and excitement) of hauling in a live anglerfish. “I was bitten by one once.” Ted laughed. “I think that’s a pretty rare thing. I touched this one on the tail, and she zipped around and caught me with her fang-like teeth!”

A preserved specimen of Diceratias pileatus in the University of Washington Burke Museum fish collection

Still, instead of spending too much time hoping to catch anglerfishes, he elected to visit collections around the world and to “sit and look at what’s in jars.” Well, it’s more than just looking at them—researchers like Ted take measurements and document all types of data, like what the fish ate before its death.

When Ted began his research, there were about 400 named anglerfish species. But once he looked at individual specimens in museum and research collections, he discovered that many of the same fishes had been described and named multiple times. He began to remove the redundancies, and in 1972 he delivered his doctoral dissertation, which narrowed the 400 named species of anglerfishes down to 130.

Ted Pietsch in the University of Washington Burke Museum fish collection.

Fast-forward 40 years
Now, more than 40 years later, Ted retains that same enthusiasm and excitement for these grumpy-looking creatures.

He escorts me into the Burke’s fish collection so that I could see some of the various anglerfish specimens for myself. As the lights of the fish collection slowly flicker on, Ted continues to share his knowledge of anglerfishes, all with a wondrous smile on his face. He begins to move quickly through the dimly lit room, looking through several shelves before finding a female anglerfish specimen in a clear jar and holding it up to eye level to inspect. The specimens are preserved in ethanol and lose their color, so it looks quite strange to me.

Ted reaches into a tank and pulls out a larger specimen, pointing out the most distinguishable feature, its highly tactile, species-specific bioluminescent lure. The female anglerfish has the ability to jut out and wiggle its lure to entice other deep-sea creatures before making them into a tasty meal.

“Can you just imagine what a nice, attractive thing that might be if you’re another little fish?” Ted chuckles.

A preserved specimen of Himantolophus groenlandicus in the University of Washington Burke Museum fish collection.

Dinner isn’t the only thing trying to take a bite of the female anglerfish. Their tiny male counterparts rely on females to survive. “Tiny little dwarf males have a really short life existence. All the evidence that we have indicates that they probably live only a few weeks—maybe a month—and then they die if they don't find a female because they really don't have the apparatus to eat.” Ted said.

Once a male encounters a female, it bites onto her anywhere it can—be it her head, face, fins or lips—and permanently fuses to her in a connection that allows a “hormonal communication between male and female that stimulates the development of gonads,” according to Ted. Over time, the male loses his fins and organs until only testes remain; this is called sexual parasitism. While it may seem like the female is getting a raw deal, the relationship is actually mutually beneficial. She supplies dinner and a bloodstream, and he supplies her with sperm for reproduction whenever she wants. Oh, young deep-sea love!

A rare specimen of Bertella idiomorpha in the University of Washington Burke Museum fish collection.

What’s next
As Ted prepares for retirement later this summer, he has high hopes for what researchers will learn about anglerfishes in the future.

One recent milestone was the first video of anglerfishes swimming in the wild. Scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute recently found and filmed an anglerfish in motion after 20 years of underwater research using submersibles.

Ted and fellow deep-sea researchers still have many questions about anglerfishes.

“People have hypothesized that perhaps these things are reproducing parthenogenetically—maybe they’re cloning,” he said. “In some cases maybe females don’t need males to reproduce.” He also questions whether the bacteria found in anglerfish lures is species-specific and believes DNA analysis will hold the answer.

“Some think that perhaps each kind of deep-sea anglerfish is associated with a species-specific strain of bacteria,” he explained. “Look at the different strains of bacteria and you could come up with a co-evolutionary scenario that the bacteria evolved along with the fishes… I guess a lot of it is examples of just how amazing natural selection can be.”

Whatever the case, Ted has had a profound impact in the field of ichthyology and on the Burke Museum fish collections. His research and work will continue to inspire future generations of researchers interested in the diversity of deep-sea life—and those of us that are just fascinated by these incredibly odd creatures.

Diceratias pileatus in the University of Washington Burke Museum fish collection.

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By Evelyn Mianowski, Communications Volunteer

Ted Pietsch is the Curator of Fishes at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, and Dorothy T. Gilbert Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington.

He has also published extensively on the history of science, especially the history of ichthyology. His work on anglerfishes is described in, “Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep-sea.”

Preparing for 'The Really Big One'

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:56:00 +0000

By Stan Chernicoff

In the past four days, some of you may have spent a thoroughly unnerving twenty minutes reading Kathryn Schulz's "The Really Big One"—a terrifying portrait of the likely effects and aftermath of the next great Cascadia earthquake published in the July 20 issue of The New Yorker.

Few if any seismologists in our region would contest or deny that a catastrophic earthquake in the Pacific Northwest is inevitable. It will happen. There is no doubt. Of course the critical question is... When? Will this disaster strike tonight? On Sunday? Or sixty years from this morning?

The answer to this critical question, despite our considerable efforts, continues to elude us. So what would the wisest among us do in light of this horrifying tectonic reality? Prepare.

Do you have an earthquake kit assembled and accessible near an exit door of your home or apartment? Does your kit contain all or most of the following items?

Earthquake preparedness kit checklist
The following checklist is from the Sereno Earthquake Preparedness Kit Checklist. More items for your preparedness list can be found here.

Water

1 gallon per person per day

Food
(Avoid foods like rice and pasta that require more water to prepare. Restock once per year.)

Canned meats, soups, fruits and vegetables
Dry milk and juice drinks
Sugar, salt and pepper
High energy foods: peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars and trail mix
Comfort foods: cookies, candy, instant coffee, tea
Vitamins
Special needs: infants, special diet, pet food

First Aid

Band-Aids
Gauze
Roller bandages
Scissors
Antiseptic
Soap/anti-bacterial
Moist towelettes
Petroleum jelly
Pain reliever
Other non-prescription medications
Sunscreen
Latex gloves
Tweezers
Thermometer
Safety pins

Supplies

Paper plates and napkins
Plastic utensils
Flashlight
Battery-powered radio
Batteries
Cash
Can opener
Tape
Matches in waterproof container
Foil
Tape
Paper and pencil
Needle and thread
Wrench
Pliers
Signal flare
Ponchos
Blankets or sleeping bags/warm clothes

Sanitary

Toilet paper
Garbage bags
Soap
Plastic bucket
Disinfectant
Household bleach

Document copies
(Best to store these in a waterproof bag)

Will/insurance
Passport/social security cards
Immunization records
Bank account numbers
Credit card numbers
Contracts/stocks

Also, be sure that all sleeping quarters are "earthquake-proofed":

beds should be distanced from glass windows
there should be no heavy bookshelves or heavily-framed wall hangings above your sleeping head

All members of your household (including easily-terrified youngsters) need to know the family's evacuation plan. Where will you all assemble after leaving your house? Who will grab the earthquake kit?

There is, of course, nothing we can personally do to prevent quake-induced landslides, I-5 bridge collapses, and devastating tsunami damage in Aberdeen, Hoquiam, and Grays Harbor along the Washington coast. But there is much that YOU can do to safeguard the well-being of your loved ones. Be the wisest among us—and prepare!

Check out the Seattle Times' article "'The Really Big One'? Get ready now, quake experts advise" published July 14, 2015 for lots of valuable tips to help with your preparations.

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Dr. Stan Chernicoff taught Geology at the University of Washington for over 25 years. During his tenure, he distinguished himself as a professor who has a unique rapport with his students and his subject. In 2000, he received the University of Washington Distinguished Teacher Award for his mastery of subject matter, intellectual rigor, lively curiosity, commitment to research and passion for teaching.

Conversations with collections: Native artists inspired

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 05:12:00 +0000

The Here & Now: Native Artists Inspired
exhibit at the Burke Museum
(November 22, 2014 – July 27, 2015).
Pictured: PochaHaida, 2009, by Lisa Telford.

The vitality of the Native art scene in the Northwest continues to grow in creative and unexpected ways, but connections to older artworks often provide the spark that keeps Native artists inspired.

Over the past ten years, the Burke Museum’s Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Native Art has awarded grants to more than 90 artists and scholars so they can visit the Burke Museum and interact with the cultural collections.

We wanted to gauge the real-world effects that our grants had on recipients, so we contacted each of our grantees and invited them to share how their artistic practice was affected by their visit to the Burke.

Many told us about new pieces they made that were inspired or informed by the historical artworks at the museum, so we created an exhibit, Here & Now: Native Artists Inspired, in November 2014 to showcase their art alongside the pieces from the Burke that they identified as being key to their learning.

Before the exhibit closes on July 27, 2015, (here’s how you can plan your visit) we want to share some of the pieces in the exhibit, along with the artists’ thoughts on this process—the conversations between the old and the new—in their own words.

Aaron Nelson-Moody, Squamish

Copper Repoussé Whorl (left): Aaron Nelson-Moody, Squamish, 2014, copper. Purchased with funds donated by Kym Aughtry, Burke Museum #2015-18/1. Spindle Whorl (right): Unknown artist, Squamish, 19th century, maple. Burke Museum #1-275. Purchased from Mr. W. F. Shelley.

“My generation grew up without a lot of old objects around. My early rediscovery of the classic Coast Salish forms comes from these old spindle whorls. I learned from them in the absence of teachers who are still carving in that style. First, I translated the old whorl into a two-dimensional print. For the copper piece, I wanted to respect the level of intricacy in the old objects. Repoussé is an extremely slow process but you get the very fine, crisp detail that was necessary to tackle this piece in the way that I see it in my mind.”
– Aaron Nelson-Moody

Joel Isaak, Kenaitze

Nilts’ilt’an - Husband and Wife (left, center): Joel Isaak, Kenaitze, 2014, salmon skin, artificial sinew. On loan from the artist. Salmon Skin bag (right): Unknown artist, Alaskan Arctic, collected in 1920, salmon skins, string, Burke Museum #4230, S.F. Rathbun Collection.

“I gathered the materials for these salmon skin boots from the fish that I actually ate that year. There is a connection when I work with the skins that I gather in the summer in that I feel connected to that annual cycle of plenty. In my culture male and female gender roles are equals… you’re equal but you’re in different roles in society. My idea of a man and wife going together through life walking side by side drove my inspiration for this piece. I put their faces into the boots letting them tell their own story.” – Joel Isaak

Lisa Telford, Haida

Hat (left): Lisa Telford, Haida, 2014, cedar bark, paint. On loan from the artist. Hat (right): Unknown artist, Haida, acquired in 1909, spruce root, paint, Burke Museum #1578. Purchased from Mr. George T. Emmons.

“While I weave my mind is free. Weaving seems to flow. Every museum I’ve been in has a solid painted hat. It’s either blue, green, black, or red—there’s something about the green ones that I absolutely love. I took this hat that I made and painted it. I wiped it off to make it look a little distressed like the old ones do, and I painted the inside. I think it’s quite pretty, now. I really like it. I don’t know why I like the green. I just do.” – Lisa Telford

Shgen George, Tlingit

Kéet Ooxú (Killer Whale Teeth) (left, far right): Shgen George, Tlingit, 2014, merino wool, sea otter fur. On loan from Sealaska Heritage Institute. Purchase of this artwork made possible through support of the Rasmuson Foundation. Chilkat Tunic (center, right): Unknown artist, Tlingit, 19th century, mountain goat wool, yellow cedar bark. Burke Museum #1-631. Gift of Betty and Charles Gauld.

“I love how it feels when I’m working with wool and bark and yarn. I love how it looks, the texture of it when it’s coming together. The design is a killer whale dorsal fin, which is my clan, and the woven teeth represent my house. My octopus bag takes the Chilkat weaving technique and uses it on something that it wasn’t used for traditionally. We see Chilkat robes, of course, and aprons and leggings and tunics. I’ve seen robes cut up and made into bags. But I haven’t seen this weaving technique used directly to create an octopus bag.” – Shgen George

Alison Bremner, Tlingit

Raven’s Cloak (left, center): Alison Bremner, Tlingit, 2014, wool, glass beads. Burke Museum #2015-20/1. Octopus Bag (right): Unknown artist, Tlingit, acquired in 1909, cloth, beads, yarn. Burke Museum #964. Purchased from George T. Emmons.

“‘Raven’s Cloak’ is my interpretation of the evolution of regalia. It’s a blanket influenced by the old style, but something that Raven would maybe wear today. I wanted to honor the old regalia but also continue as if contact with Western civilization hadn’t hindered our artwork. During my time at the Burke we pulled out this octopus bag and I was really impressed. The craftsmanship was fantastic and I was hit by the energy I got from the piece. I think the artist who made it would be proud to know that it still carries that feeling all these years later.” – Alison Bremner

Evelyn Vanderhoop, Haida

Spirit Belt (left): Evelyn Vanderhoop, Haida, 2008-9, mountain goat wool, yellow cedar bark, leather, beaver fur, deer hooves, beads. Burke Museum #2009-183/1. Gift and purchase from the artist. Naaxiin (Chilkat) Leggings (right): Unknown artist, Tlingit, received in 1909, mountain goat wool, cedar bark, puffin beak, fur. Burke Museum #1954. Purchased from George T. Emmons.

“This was my first belt and I was inspired by the stories of warriors’ wives who were expected to weave two belts before the warriors went to war. Warriors would exchange belts with their wives on the shore, just before going off in the war canoes. In order to come back victoriously, the belt had images of future captives on it. These leggings are very special. Looking very closely, I could tell by the techniques that this is an early, early piece showing how earlier textile techniques evolve to the more complex textile techniques used for naaxiin (Chilkat) weavings.” – Evelyn Vanderhoop

Sonny Assu, Ligwilda’xw of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nations

#potlatchshadesofgrey (right): Sonny Assu, Ligwilda’xw of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nations, 2013, acrylic on panel. Burke Museum #2015-62/1. Naaxiin (Chilkat) Blanket Pattern Board (right): Unknown artist, Tlingit, collected in 1955, wood, paint, nails. Burke Museum #1-1880. Purchased from Ralph Altman.

“Having my great-great-grandfather Chief Billy Assu’s Chilkat regalia placed on my shoulders was part of the inspiration for this painting. This piece compares chiefly nobility—embedded with the knowledge and wisdom of his years as chief—to how we formulate social status today through consumerism, branding, pop culture and social media. This painting flows from my “Abstraction of Abstraction” theory that counters the narratives of Western art movements, particularly that of the Cubists and Surrealists, who looked to non-Western cultures for inspiration. For me the pattern board was important—I was trying to challenge myself to make paintings based on a pattern board but placed in reaction to the colonial gaze upon the centuries-old cultural and artistic practices of the Kwakwaka’wakw.” – Sonny Assu

Tommy Joseph, Tlingit

Rainforest Warrior (left): Tommy Joseph, Tlingit. Raven Helmet, 2004-5, alder, brown bear hide, copper. Neck Guard, 2013-14, red cedar. On loan from the artist. Helmet (right), Unknown artist, Tlingit, 1909, wood, operculum shell, hair. Burke Museum #2452. Purchased from George T. Emmons.

“All the pieces are inspired by actual pieces I saw in museum collections. I wasn’t satisfied with written descriptions so I went to see these pieces myself. There was a Raven Helmet, called Katlian’s helmet, made from the head of a brown bear and stretched over the wooden raven-shaped form. The actual eyeholes of the bear became the eyeholes of the raven. I used the same technique of the head of a brown bear for my raven. I purposefully made my raven look really different from Katlian’s helmet. It’s inspired by it, but really it looks different.” – Tommy Joseph

David Robert Boxley, Tsimshian

String Puppet (left): David Robert Boxley, Tsimshian, 2014, yellow cedar, paint, fur, leather, string. On loan from the artist. String Puppet (center, right): Unknown artist, Tsimshian, collected in 1954, wood, leather, nails, string. Burke Museum #1-1653. Gift of the Hauberg Foundation Grant.

“I’ve always been fascinated by Tsimshian puppets and the theatricality of our performances in the old days—it didn’t have to just be a mask. Its head is a rattle and when you pull the string the arms bring the hands up to the chest. It had some reason; we have to think about the function of this art and start from there. This old puppet is neat with the limbs being made of some kind of stuffed hide, fabulous little legs. The artist didn’t need to do that—he could have just had sticks but it gives it great character.” – David Robert Boxley

Latham Mack, Nuxalk

Three-Finned Killer Whale Mask (left, center): Latham Mack, Nuxalk, 2014, cedar, paint. On loan from the artist. Frontlet (right): Unknown artist, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), late 19th century, wood, abalone shell. Burke Museum #25.0/231. Sidney Gerber Collection, Gift of Anne Gerber.

“My three-fin killer whale mask was inspired by a Nuxalk frontlet at the Burke. Looking at that old piece, it’s got pectoral fins coming up and a face on top for a tail. That’s where I got the idea to do three fins instead of putting the tail on the top and I exaggerated that face and made it a blowhole. It’s great to go and study the old pieces, to look at them, and hold them. You feel their energy. You can’t get over the quality, the detail, in the pieces. They’re some of the best teachers you get.” – Latham Mack

David A. Boxley, Tsimshian

Feast Bowl (left): David A. Boxley, Tsimshian, 2014, yellow cedar, operculum shell, paint. On loan from the artist. Feast Dish (right): Unknown artist, Tsimshian, 19th century, cedar, operculum shell, paint. Burke Museum #2252. Purchased from George T. Emmons.

“For years, I’ve seen this bowl and said ‘One of these days I’m going to make a replica of that.’ The original artist was really, really good; it’s always been an inspirational piece for me. There’s a lot of things that I like about it that are really odd but beautiful and innovative. My bowl is not a 100% copy. I made a few changes just because of my style. This art is so individual. We all follow the same two-dimensional design rules, and what makes one artist different from the next is how he interprets his style into that strict set of rules.” – David A. Boxley

Lou-ann Ika’wega Neel, Kwakwaka’wakw Nation

The Wealth of Matik (Sockeye Salmon) (left): Lou-ann Ika’wega Neel, Kwakwaka’wakw Nation, 2014, melton wool, ultra-suede, copper, abalone buttons. Purchased with funds donated by Mark Kernaghan in honor of Philip Robinson. Burke Museum #2015-17/1. Dance Apron (center, right): Unknown artist, Kwakwaka’wakw, 1893, wool cloth, cotton cloth, copper. Burke Museum #4. Gift of Washington World’s Fair Commission.

“Immediately, my eye was drawn to this particular dance apron because it had coppers all along the bottom—it represented such wealth, and richness, and the weight—the physical weight of it—was so overwhelming to me. I know how long it takes to cut every one of those coppers, to drill all of them, and sew them on securely. My piece connects our people and the salmon. The salmon and the coppers are the symbols of wealth in our culture. We have a relationship with our territories, we’re here, we return every year, just like the salmon does.” – Lou-ann Ika’wega Neel

The Burke’s cultural collections hold answers from the past to questions that artists are asking today—questions about creativity, inspiration, environment, materials, aesthetics, and market.

For the artists and researchers who visit us, the table in our collections study space is a site of learning and laughter, a place to connect with past generations. While artists cannot apprentice with masters from generations back, the artworks themselves can be teachers.

Now it’s your turn to reflect on connections to your own past through family heirlooms and inherited knowledge. What inspires you?

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Posted by Cathy Morris, Digital Communications

Follow the Bill Holm Center on Facebook to stay connected. Visit our website to learn more about the Bill Holm Center and future grant opportunities.

Learn more about Here & Now featured artists through these external links (in no particular order):

Spider photographer and collector’s legacy lives on

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 23:36:00 +0000

By Rod Crawford

Many people try to avoid spiders, but spider enthusiast Bob Thomson sought them out and collected them for the Burke Museum—contributing more than 9,000 specimens and hundreds of photographs! So when I heard that my old friend and colleague had died, I thought his story should be shared, and put together the following from my recollections and with some help from his son Jonathan.

Bob's son, Jonathan Thomson, captured this photo of his father in Sumatra.

After service in World War II, J. Robert Thomson (1922–2002) married (he eventually had five children) and first pursued a career in classical music, conducting symphonic orchestras, before abandoning that for teaching in the early 1960s.

Bob became interested in collecting, rearing and photographing spiders in his earlier forties, around 1963. He soon encountered the sad lack of any spider ID resource for beginners, so he decided to concentrate on photography and leave the ID to others. For North American spiders, the "others" eventually became me.

From 1964–1966, Bob collected Northwest spiders while he taught school at Rainier High School in rural Thurston County, Washington, and lived in a rented farmhouse. This was his most productive period of Northwest spider collecting, and for a long time this remained the largest local spider sample in the Burke's collection. He was still learning spider photography, but one of his brilliant achievements during this period was a complete series (at least three rolls of film) showing Argiope trifasciata constructing her egg sac.

Washington orbweaver Argiope trifasciata making her egg sac. Photo by Bob Thomson.

Former Burke entomology curator Melville Hatch introduced me to Bob, who was teaching science and math in Kenmore, in 1972. Bob and I went on a few field trips together before he began his most extensive series of foreign travels.

Bob was calm and deliberate, with a distinctive voice and a dry sense of humor. He took kidding in good part, and I often had to kid him about being the world's worst specimen labeler. He never changed his habit of labeling collected specimens with a date and a one-word reminder of the locality.

The label says "Larsen." Where is it? That’s the Seattle home of a friend with that name. The label says "ITCI": who would ever guess it meant the International Timber Corporation of Indonesia compound outside Balikpapan, Borneo? Fortunately, I got together with Bob on more than one occasion and made him interpret all these code words. Thus, the 9,000 specimens he donated to the Burke Museum kept their scientific usefulness.

Jumping spider, Cosmophasis bitaeniata, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Bob Thomson.

Eventually, Bob tired of the relatively muted colors of most Northwest spiders and became interested in collecting in the tropics, inspired by brief vacation visits to Colombia and Malaysia. To spend more time in the tropics than a schoolteacher could easily afford, he got a job with International Schools Services (ISS), which operates Western-style schools for American-based corporations in developing nations.

Bob Thomson collecting spiders in Sumatra in 1988. Photo by Jonathan Thomson.

While working for ISS, Bob spent a year teaching in Haiti, which he found biologically disappointing due to severe deforestation, and then taught for three years in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo—which he found to be a paradise of biodiversity. He told me that being the one man collecting spiders near Balikpapan made him feel like "a one-armed paper hanger trying to work in a typhoon."

When I sent about 30 of Bob's Borneo specimens to a Dutch worker specializing in the small family Pholcidae (cellar spiders), she was astounded at the diversity: nearly every one was a different species. An ant mimic jumping spider from Bob's Borneo work was named after him: Indomarengo thomsoni.

Ant mimic jumping spider, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Bob Thomson.

Eventually Bob found an opportunity to leave the USA permanently (except for visits) and settled in Townsville, northern Queensland, in the tropical part of Australia with a successful waterbed business. From then on, my contacts with him were only occasional, but he deposited most of his collections and photos up to that time with the Burke. Bob continued to collect in the 1980s and 1990s (from South Africa to Sumatra), but those collections went elsewhere.

Jumping spider Mopsus mormon with silk retreat, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Bob Thomson.

Bob's donation remains the second-largest gift of spider specimens we've ever received, and the largest not collected as part of a University of Washington project. Nearly all of the Burke's spiders from the tropics, and most of what we have from outside of the Northwest, were collected by Bob. His donation includes our only specimens of several arachnid groups, such as the rare Indo-Malayan harvestman family Sandokanidae; his specimens were a new species.

The Burke also has many hundreds of Bob's spider photos. All are on 35 mm slides, taken with what today would be deemed very primitive equipment: a 35 mm film camera with bellows and extension tubes, and all settings and adjustments manual (very cumbersome to use).

Black-and-white banded huntsman spider, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Bob Thomson.

So, how did he get such stunning and sharp macro-photos of small spiders under field conditions using this equipment? The answer is, he mostly didn't. He collected the photogenic spiders alive, brought them home (whether home was in Balikpapan, Townsville or Port-au-Prince) and photographed them on houseplants! Only a few of these great photos are digitized at present. Someday I'd like to get them all digitized and archived.

Unidentified jumping spider, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Bob Thomson.

Writing this really brought back memories. I look at Bob's picture and can just hear his voice making some dry, witty comment. He is certainly missed, but his specimens and photos live on!

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Interested in more about arachnids? Read other Burke Blog posts by Rod or check out Rod's Spider Myths website for myths, misconceptions and superstitions about spiders.

Birds that bury their eggs: How megapodes’ nesting behavior evolved

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 00:34:00 +0000

Australian Brush-turkey chick shortly after hatching and emerging
from incubation mound and showing well-developed flight feathers.
Photo: Burke Museum.

By Sharon Birks

Did you know that not all birds sit on their eggs to incubate them? Megapodes (family Megapodiidae)—a fascinating group of birds named for their large feet—cleverly harness environmental heat sources to incubate their eggs.

Depending on the species and location, megapodes may lay their eggs in burrows dug in sun-warmed beaches or geothermally active areas, or they may build large incubation mounds that function like compost piles and generate heat through decomposition.

Although most megapodes look like distant chicken relatives (they are), their unique incubation behavior has driven a suite of unusual adaptations, including:

large feet to help them dig burrows or build mounds;
thin, porous egg shells to help eggs “breathe” underground; and
the ability for chicks to dig themselves out from under several feet of soil after hatching and emerge ready to fly and fend for themselves.

How did this odd incubation behavior evolve?

For several decades, I’ve been tracking down megapodes in the wild and in other museum collections to research the genetic relationships among megapodes and shed light on their behavior.

Sharon measures eggs laid by burrow-nesting megapodes and
collected by local villagers, Ambrym Island, Vanuatu.
Photo: Burke Museum.

Megapodes range from Australasia to the South Pacific, with many found in remote locations and/or on islands. I’ve traveled as far afield as Vanuatu in search of genetic material from rare megapodes.

With the help of many other scientists from around the world, there is now a small library of megapode tissues—some found nowhere else—that are housed in the Burke’s genetic resources collection.

University of Washington graduate student Rebecca Harris recently used this collection to sequence DNA from multiple genes in all 22 megapode species, generating a complete evolutionary family tree for megapodes for the first time.1 Her research—a collaboration with Dr. Adam Leaché, curator of genetic resources, and me—confirmed that megapodes’ unique incubation behavior evolved from more conventional nesting behavior such as that shown by ducks or chickens, and that megapodes probably evolved mound-building first, before burrow-nesting.

Adult Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami, in Queensland, Australia.
Photo: Burke Museum.

Interestingly, burrow-nesting also apparently evolved several times independently within the megapodes. When made possible through the presence of an environmental heat source, burrow-nesting may be strongly favored over mound-building because it saves megapodes substantial time and energy.

Incubation behavior is most variable in birds of the genus Megapodius—the only megapodes that can fly long distances (other than the closely related species Eulipoa wallacei). This has no doubt allowed them not only to disperse more successfully, but has exposed them to more variable environments, which may account for their apparent flexibility in incubation behavior.

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Read more stories from the Burke's genetic resources collection.

1 Harris, R. B., S. M. Birks, and A. D. Leaché. 2014. Incubator birds: biogeographical origins and evolution of underground nesting in megapodes (Galliformes: Megapodiidae). Journal of Biogeography 41:2045-2056.

Danny Shelton: Building cultural connections

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 04:11:00 +0000

University of Washington student and Husky football player Danny Shelton is a familiar face at the Burke Museum. As a student he completed several independent study courses at the Burke with Holly Barker, curator of Oceanic and Asian culture, building a stronger connection to his heritage in the process. During that time, Danny became an inspiration for his fellow classmates, encouraging them to utilize the Museum for their own cultural research and leading lessons about Polynesian culture for K-12 students at the Burke and beyond.

An article about Danny’s journey appeared in yesterday's Seattle Times. In the article, Holly said she's "proud of how [Danny] opened the museum's doors for many of his UW teammates, particularly the tight knit Polynesian players, to follow through on his work there." And she is proud. We all are!

As Danny prepares for the NFL draft tomorrow night in Chicago, we want to celebrate his time at the Burke and honor him for the work he’s done and the doors he’s helped open for so many others seeking connections to their cultural heritage.

Danny carefully glues parts on a pump drill as John Timu looks on.

The following is an excerpt from the introduction Holly gave Danny as the honored guest at our Curators Dinner this past Friday evening.

We honor Danny for the many facets we have all come to know and love during his time at the Burke—attributes beyond his outstanding career as a Husky football player.

At the Burke, we honor...

Danny the Researcher, who initially came to the Burke with Hau'oli Kikaha and John Timu to explore the Polynesian objects in our collection, and to connect to and learn about their ancestry and traditions;

Danny, Hau'oli Kikaha and John Timu study objects from the Burke collection
in their independent study class with Holly Barker.

Danny holds an ava bowl from the Burke collection next to his tattoo.

Danny the Teacher, who put the Samoan concept of tautua, or giving back, into practice by interning in the Burke's education division, designing curriculum about Polynesian culture for K-12 students, and conducting tours for Pacific Islander students, the Boys and Girls Club and other school groups;

Danny works with children as part of a study abroad in French Polynesia.

Danny the Carver, who worked with Curator Sven Haakanson to carve an ava bowl and pake drum to gain a first-hand appreciation for the skills, knowledge and ingenuity of his ancestors;

Danny practices carving in the Burke Museum.

Danny the Community-Builder, who started bringing many of his friends into the Burke once he discovered the kinds of learning opportunities available for students;

Danny and classmates show off their finished pump drills outside the Burke Museum.

Danny the Curator, who—together with this group—researched objects from the Burke's collection and guest-curated an exhibit focusing on Polynesian identity and tattooing;

Danny and fellow students pose for a photo at the entrance of the University of Washington.

Danny the Nerd, who was presented with a "Burke Nerd Award" after he was selected as first-team academic All-American in addition, of course, to being first-team All-American for his football talents;

Danny stands with Burke Museum staff after receiving a surprise "Burke Nerd Award."

Danny the Humble, who uses his spotlight to make us laugh, to challenge us to think about critical social issues like domestic violence or child abuse, who respects and values his culture and who inspires each of us to reach out to the person next to us to explore our shared potential.

Danny wears the "Burke Nerd" stole adorned with Burke Nerd buttons.

Not only do we honor you, Danny, but we love you!

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Posted by Cathy Morris, Digital Communications

So this spider walks into a pine cone...

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 23:04:00 +0000

By Rod Crawford

Euryopis formosa spider in pine cone, July 10, 2011,
Thunder Lake, Yakima County, Washington.
Photo: Laurel Ramseyer.

On a sunny day in late May 2008, I went on a spider collecting field trip to Swauk Prairie outside of Cle Elum, Washington, with Laurel Ramseyer, a friend and field volunteer. The weather forecast called for "breezy." We'd have called it downright windy!

It was difficult to collect spiders with the wind blowing away anything loose and exposed. I did manage to sift nine spider species from hawthorn leaf litter, but only swept six species from the rippling sea of grass. Laurel had similar troubles.

Then Laurel saw a spider run into a large fallen pine cone (probably to get out of the wind), so she picked up the pine cone and started to whack it inside her net in an attempt to collect the spider. It worked! We were in a Ponderosa pine woodland with a lot of pine cones so she continued whacking more cones and eventually added three good species to that site's spider list.

This small beginning led to a major obsession for Laurel and she began using this method at other sites. To date she has whacked nearly 7,000 pine cones inside a heavy-duty net held against her leg, looking for the pine cone spider fauna that she, in a sense, discovered. Laurel (with a little help from me) collected 1,060 spiders from 4,600 eastern Washington pine cones between 2008 and 2013. I identified the spiders and added them to the Burke's collection.

Laurel sorting a pine cone beat sample, May 18, 2011,
Moloy Road on Wenas Creek, Yakima County, Washington.
Photo: Rod Crawford.

As it turns out, no spider species were previously recorded as collected from pine cones. Discovering a new spider species is relatively common, but discovering a whole new spider habitat—that's really something!

Some spiders evidently live in pine cones long-term, while others just use them to molt, lay eggs and rest when not out hunting. Or they wander in at random like that first one Laurel saw back at Swauk Prairie.

Euryopis formosa spider on pine cone scale, June 4, 2011,
Teanaway Campground, Kittitas County, Washington.
Photo: Laurel Ramseyer.

The spider we most commonly found in Washington pine cones was Euryopis formosa, a beautiful creature with a dark heart shape inside a bright silver patch on the abdomen. Sampling pine cones more than quadrupled the number of E. formosa specimens in the Burke spider collection—it was found at 47% of sampling sites!

This was the first study to describe the spider fauna of fallen pine cones and now there are 89 species recorded in our published paper, including two species never found in Washington state before.

Spiders are everywhere—even in pine cones!

Pine cone with spider web, June 22, 2011,
Thirteenmile Creek, Ferry County, Washington.
Photo: Laurel Ramseyer.

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To learn which spider species use fallen pine cones, read our study published in Western North American Naturalist (PDF).

Interested in more about arachnids? Read other Burke blog posts by Rod or check out Rod's Spider Myths website for myths, misconceptions, and superstitions about spiders.

Studying hybrid lizard species through DNA

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 02:14:00 +0000

by Jared Grummer

I often wonder what non-scientists think of my research: why would people care about lizards that most will never see? When I say I study hybrids, do they think I mean hybrid cars? Hybridization, or interbreeding between distinct species, of lizards in Argentina is a very foreign idea for most, in more ways than one.

Liolaemus "melanops", though this likely represents an undescribed species.

Studying hybrid zones offers a unique view into the evolutionary processes that either generate or extinguish species. More than 1.5 million species of organisms exist on Earth, but we are still understanding how species multiply. Research on hybrid zones can help tell us what causes new species to form.

The definition of a species has evolved over time, largely based on how data are collected. Before Darwin, species were diagnosed based on the physical—or morphological—characteristics that separate different types of organisms. For instance, this lizard is green, and that one is yellow, therefore they are different species. Nowadays, species are most commonly defined based on differences in their DNA.

With the development of DNA sequencing technologies, we can sequence a large portion of an organism’s genome, therefore shedding light not only on its past, but also the past of its ancestors. I still, however, recognize the importance of morphology in determining the boundaries that separate species. When morphological variation within a “species” is high, there could be more than one species present.

This brings us to the lizards!

I’m studying the Liolaemus fitzingerii, a complex group of 15 species of lizards in Argentina that belong to a particularly diverse lizard genus (Liolaemus) confined to South America. Some species of Liolaemus exist at more than 5,000 meters elevation, whereas others can be found on the ocean shore; some are herbivorous, and some give live birth. Not a lot is known about these lizards and 10-15 new species are described each year!

There are approximately 15 species currently recognized in the L. fitzingerii group, but the geographic and biological boundaries that separate many of these species are not clear.

A male Liolaemus melanops.

My collaborators, Luciano Avila and Mariana Morando, are researchers at the National Central Patagonia Institute in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. They've spent their careers describing the complex diversity of Liolaemus species in an attempt to understand its evolutionary history.

Significant morphological variation exists within some species in the group, such as L. melanops, where the males can go from having a completely black head, to no black on the head, and everything in between—all in the same locality! This makes determining species solely with morphological data a very difficult task.

For instance, during a recent field expedition, I traveled to an area where the L. fitzingerii group lizards have an extreme amount of morphological variation to test whether it is a single species, or if it represents a hybrid zone between two distinct species.

Check out some of the variation in this area:

Variation in male dorsal patterning from individuals collected at the same locality.

Variation in male ventral patterning from individuals collected at the same locality.

Sometimes, hybrid zones are found where two distinct habitat types come together, known as ecotones. However, in this area of Patagonia, the habitat appears to be homogeneous (at least to the human eye).

It is fun to do science in an area where Darwin was! Well, he wasn’t in this exact area, but he was close. In fact, there is a Liolaemus species with his name, L. darwinii, that we have seen a lot during this trip.

Liolaemus melanops habitat in Chubut Province.

My collaborator Luciano and I collected lizards from approximately 10 sites spanning more than 100 kilometers in northern Chubut and southern Rio Negro provinces. The next step will be to collect and analyze DNA from across the genomes of these individuals to see the extent of connectivity between these various populations along a morphological gradient.

Half of the lizard specimens will become part of the Burke Museum’s Herpetology and Genetic Resources Collections; the others will remain with my collaborators at the National Central Patagonia Institute. These specimens will be a critical reference when analyzing the DNA, as we will be looking at both the morphological and molecular data to understand the hybridization between species.

Stay tuned for results of this research in the spring!

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Jared Grummer is a fourth year PhD Candidate in the Leaché Lab at the University of Washington. He was recently awarded a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant to perform the research mentioned in this article. In addition to his research, Jared is interested in natural history and is a co-founder of the Young Naturalists’ Society of the Pacific Northwest (YNS). See more about Jared and his research at his website, and find out more about the YNS here.

Origin of the Seahawks logo: The story unfolds

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 23:40:00 +0000

It’s been one year since we first explored the connection between a Native mask from the Pacific Northwest and the original Seattle Seahawks logo. What a year it has been! Now, as the Seahawks prepare to "re-Pete" their visit to the Super Bowl, here’s what we’ve learned so far about the mask that inspired the logo.

Photo courtesy of the Hudson Museum.

A connection discovered
In the lead-up to last year’s Super Bowl, Burke Museum Curator of Native American Art Robin K. Wright’s art history students were curious about the design influence for the Seattle Seahawks’ original logo. When Wright broached the subject with Curator Emeritus Bill Holm, he pointed her to a photograph of a Kwakwaka’wakw (pronounced: KWA-kwuh-kyuh-wakw) eagle mask in Robert Bruce Inverarity’s 1950 survey, Art of the Northwest Coast Indians.

The mask bore an undeniable resemblance to the 1976 logo; the Seahawks later unearthed a 1975 Seattle PI article in their archives, in which Seahawks General Manager John Thompson identified the mask as THE definitive inspiration for the Hawks’ logo.

Credit: Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture

Shared widely by both football and Native art fans, the blog post on the discovery made its way to the Hudson Museum at the University of Maine, who alerted the Burke to the mask’s location in their collection and offered to loan it to the Burke.

The mask’s journey
The mask made the 3,200 mile journey from Maine to Seattle—thanks to the power of crowdfunding and generous support from Bekins Northwest, the “official mover of the Seattle Seahawks.”

Bekins Northwest employees unload the mask at the Burke Museum.

Once the mask arrived safely and acclimated to our climate, we began carefully preparing it for public display.

Burke Museum staff carefully unpack the mask after its arrival.

We asked artist Bruce Alfred, a member of the Namgis Band of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nations, who was visiting the Burke, to study the mask. Bruce and our curators uncovered many new details in just a few days.

Bruce Alfred takes a closer look at the mask.

Scuffs and scratches on the mask show it was used in ceremonies before it was sold. Bruce described how a dancer would enter the big house wearing the mask in its closed position, dancing counterclockwise around the fire—imitating the movements of a large raptor—with firelight reflecting in the mask’s mirrored eyes. At a certain point, the drummers would beat faster and the dancer would dramatically open the mask and reveal the inner human face and long-necked bird rising above.

The mask likely represents a supernatural eagle—or thunderbird—transforming into its human form.

The inside of the mask reveals the inner human face and long-necked bird rising above.

A tag in the mask dated 1910 includes a catalog number from the Fred Harvey Company, which operated hotels, restaurants, and Indian marketplaces throughout the southwestern U.S. in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The Company’s collectors traveled throughout the Southwest, California and along the Colorado River buying art for the marketplaces. They also collected objects from Plains and Alaskan tribes, which offers a possible explanation for how the mask came to be part of the Company collection.

Robin K. Wright and Bruce Alfred look closely at a tag on the mask.

“We knew it was made at the north end of Vancouver Island in the 19th century, but we didn’t know anything else until it came in to the Max Ernst collection,” said Kathryn Bunn-Marcuse, Assistant Director of the Burke Museum’s Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Native Art. Ernst lived in Sedona, Arizona, in the 1940s—suggesting an opportunity for his acquisition of the mask. “We are filling in the gaps in the mask’s history.”

Unveiling and welcoming the mask
We welcomed and blessed the mask at a one-of-a-kind press event on November 18, 2014—which just happens to be the turning point in the Seattle Seahawks season. In fact, they are undefeated (8-0) since that day!

A special thanks goes to Kwakwaka’wakw artist Andy Everson, Le-La-La dance leader George Taylor, the Blue Thunder drum line, the Seagals, former Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn, former Seahawks tight end Ron Howard, and Hudson Museum Director Gretchen Faulkner, for helping us celebrate the mask's arrival at the Burke Museum.

See the mask for yourself
We hope you'll come to see the mask and experience our Here & Now: Native Artists Inspired exhibition now through July 27, 2015. If you do, please share your photos with us using #myherenow. We'd love to see them!

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth A. Davidson.

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Posted by Cathy Morris, Burke Museum Digital Communications

A collection of Washington state symbols, natural history style

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 21:31:00 +0000

On Nov. 11, 2014, Washington state turns 125. In the spirit of celebrating, we highlighted 12 objects in the Burke collections that are quintessentially Washington—at least according to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), a compilation of all laws enacted by the state's Legislature.

Washington has 22 official state symbols to date under the RCW, and 12 of them can be found at the Burke Museum—the Washington state museum of natural history and culture since 1899. We care for these objects, and millions more, as a record of nature and culture to help us to understand how the choices we make today will affect the future.

Here are the 12 Washington state symbols in the Burke collections:

State Tree: Western Hemlock

The western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) is found in Washington's temperate rain forests. This evergreen conifer can grow up to heights of 230 feet, with the longest living specimen being more than 1,200 years old; it became the State Tree in 1947. Fun fact: new-growth needles can be steeped to make vitamin-rich tea. Date collected: May 6, 1967.

State Bird: American Goldfinch

This sprightly little bird known for its bright yellow feathers lives year-round in the Evergreen State. Carduelis tristis is one of the “strictest vegetarians in the world,” eating mainly grains and seeds, consuming insects only to feed its young. The goldfinch has been the Washington State Bird since 1951—we share this state symbol with Iowa and New Jersey. Date collected: May 19, 1995.

State Flower: Coast Rhododendron

In 1892, before they had the right to vote, Washington women elected the state flower. The coast rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) was chosen and entered in the floral exhibit at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. In 1959, the Legislature, including 10 women representatives, designated this native species the official State Flower. Date collected: May 19, 2001.

State Fish: Steelhead Trout

Steelhead Trout was declared the State Fish in 1969. They are the same species (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as rainbow trout, but migrate between fresh and salt water. Steelhead trout can only survive in clean waters, making them an important indicator species for the health of the aquatic environment. Date collected: May 1, 1952.

State Gem: Petrified Wood

Millions of years ago, cypress, elm, oak, and ginkgo trees covered the state. When they died, water rich with dissolved minerals flowed through the logs, slowly replacing plant material with minerals, resulting in fossils that look nearly identical to the original tree, but are now stone. Petrified wood was designated the Washington State Gem in 1975. Time period: ca. 16 million years ago.

State Grass: Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Nope—not the green drink you might know from your friendly neighborhood health food store. This species of grass grows in Eastern Washington, and was an important food source for the livestock of Washington’s pioneer families. Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) is still valued by Washington’s agriculture industry for its hardiness. (It’s health food for cows and horses!) Date collected: July 14, 2011.

State Insect: Green Darner Dragonfly

In 1997, nearly 25,000 students from across Washington voted to select a State Insect: the green darner dragonfly (Anax junius) was the winner! This remarkable insect can grow up to three and a half inches in length. It is distinguished by iridescent wings, massive eyes, and a striking green thorax. Males have a bright blue abdomen, while females tend to be green and brown.

State Fossil: Columbian Mammoth

This prehistoric elephant roamed Washington State tens of thousands of years ago. In 1994, it captured the imaginations of students at Windsor Elementary School in Cheney, Washington. Four years later, the Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) was designated the State Fossil of Washington. Time period: 20,000-60,000 years old.

State Marine Mammal: Orca Whale

Orca whale specimans in the Burke collection include the skull and teeth of Namu, the first captured orca put on public display. Namu survived only 11 months in captivity, providing a valuable lesson on the importance of protecting orcas in their natural habitat. Namu's remains were donated to the Burke after he passed away in 1966. The orca whale (Orcinus orca) was designated the State Marine Mammal in 2005. Date collected: July 1966.

State Amphibian: Pacific Chorus Frog

Pseudacris regilla, or Pacific chorus frog, is found in every county of Washington State. With its endearing size and color and beautiful call, it’s no surprise it became the State Amphibian in 2007. Pacific chorus frogs can inflate their throat sacs to three times the size of their heads to project their calls. Date collected: May 18, 2013.

State Endemic Mammal: Olympic Marmot

The Olympic marmot (Marmota olympus) lives only in Washington’s Olympic Mountains. Typically about the size of a house cat, they eat mostly grasses and meadow flowers. (Cuteness overload!) In 2009, the Olympic marmot was designated the State Endemic Mammal following a campaign by students at Wedgwood Elementary School in Seattle. Date collected: July 19, 2002.

State Oyster: Olympia Oyster

Oysters have been a common and important food for many thousands of years in Washington. Piles of oyster shells have been found at archaeological sites throughout the state, often alongside sea mammal bones, fish bones, and stone tools. Ostrea lurida was declared the State Oyster in 2014, making it the newest state symbol adopted. Time period: ca. 1,500 years ago.

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And the next state symbol is...

What do you think our next "State __________" should be?

Digging for fossils in the Petrified Forest

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 03:57:00 +0000

By Tom Kaye

The sky was crystal clear as my wife Carol and I geared up for our first day “on expedition” at Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona. This trip was particularly exciting for us because Petrified Forest had recently acquired a huge new tract of land and we, along with several colleagues from the Burke Museum, were the first team going in to look for fossils!

Specifically, we were looking for fossils of huge predators from 210 million years ago during the Triassic Period. We knew that most of the fossils we found would belong to extinct groups known as aetosaurs and phytosaurs. The former sported armor plates and foot-long spikes to ward off attacks. The latter were the Triassic equivalent of crocodiles: aquatic predators that you didn’t want to mess with.

Hunting for fossils isn’t as glamorous as it’s cracked up to be. It was never less than 100 degrees on the desert floor thanks to the sun’s reflection. We wore SPF 50 sunblock made for children so it didn’t sting when the sweat runs in your eyes. We were almost never in sight of anyone else. And the best fossils are ALWAYS the farthest from the truck.

So, I hope you enjoy the pictures and know that you’re getting the best parts of the trip right here!

This is the “badlands,” appropriately named by the early settlers because nothing would grow there. However, this is prime hunting ground for fossils from long-dead animals. The dirt erodes down the hillsides oftentimes exposing fossils. This erosion causes some fossils to break up and go down the hill, so we were on the lookout for “bone trails” where we’d follow a trail to hopefully find the remainder of the skeleton sticking out of the ground.

I found the leg bone from a phytosaur just sitting in pieces on the desert floor. This is a 215-million-year-old crocodile-like reptile. This guy was probably more than 15 feet long.

A tooth from a phytosaur. Definitely someone you would not want to mess with!

This is the largest petrified log we saw in the park. It was probably
larger, but most of the outer layers have fallen away.

This is an "ice" rock. Not a formal name but appropriate. This happens when a crack forms in the ground and then minerals fill it in. The dirt erodes away leaving the mineral on the surface.

On first look you might think this is a fossil snake but it’s actually a fossil root!

This photo shows me crawling into a sinkhole to get some shade.
This is where the rattlesnakes hang out during the day and is not advised.

See the dark markings at an angle? They are called "cross bedded sandstones" and tell us the direction the water was flowing in the stream 215 million years ago. In this case, it flowed from right to left. Putting together many of these can help map how the rivers flowed in this area in ancient times.

A desert waterfall. It’s pretty even without water.

The GPS tracker showing where Carol and I walked through rough desert terrain over the 10 days—more than 50 miles combined! Yellow line = 1 mile. The average elevation change per day was 500 feet over hillsides completely covered with marble-sized gravel. Everyone on the team went down the hill on his or her backside at least once during this trip.

The Burke Museum team looking very happy after 10 days in the field. Front row, left to right: Dr. Christian Sidor, my friend and colleague who is the curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Burke Museum, Jackie L. starting her PhD this year and way stronger than she looks, Chuck B. working on his PhD at the Burke, and as always, they put the old people in the back.

In the end, our most exciting find was a bone bed containing fossils of a rare “dinosaur mimic” beaked reptile called a shuvosaurid. Despite walking on two legs, this animal is more closely related to crocodiles than dinosaurs! Over a two-day period we must of have collected more than a hundred pieces of small bone, not much bigger than a finger, as we scoured the desert surface. We then quarried out a large block of the bone bed for further examination.

The block of bone bed is now in the Burke’s fossil lab, where the bones can be carefully extracted under a microscope. We estimate that there are more than 100 bones in this block, so stay tuned for more fossil discoveries!

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Tom Kaye is a research associate in the Burke Museum's vertebrate paleontology collections.

Mark your calendars! Dino Day is coming up on Saturday, March 7, 2015!

What do you collect? 10 unique visitor collections

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 22:26:00 +0000

Over the past four months, we've asked Burke Museum visitors to answer a simple question in our Imagine That exhibit: what do you collect?

"What do you collect?" tags hang in the Burke's Imagine That exhibit.

As the Washington state museum of natural history and culture, we collect to form a record of the life before us and to bring together people, objects and the stories that make them meaningful. We share a curiosity and passion for collecting with our visitors.

So far, more than 2,000 visitors have told us what they collect and why their collection is special. While we see several types of collections come up regularly—rocks, shells, money—some collections stood out as particularly unique.

Here is a sampling of 10 one-of-a-kind visitor collections shared with us so far:

1. Woodchips with holes

First name: Diane

What I collect: Woodchips with holes

My collection is special because... It began with a child giving me one, and then another, and another... and now I have hundreds!!

2. Japanese erasers and labbits

First name: Emma

What I collect: Japanese erasers and labbits

My collection is special because... Who wouldn't want a labbit (it is a rabbit with a mustache). THEY ARE SOOO CUTE!

3. Cat hair

First name: Matt

What I collect: Cat hair

My collection is special because... It's like it's attracted to me... Have it in scores!

4. Countries and peanut butter

First name: Emma

What I collect: Countries and peanut butter

My collection is special because... I get (to) see the whole world and eat a lot of peanut butter. How is this not awesome.

5. Bookmarks, buttons, books, business cards, elephants, marbles, slinkies, giraffes, glass, valentines, Fischer Price Little People™, super balls, stamps, dragons, holiday headbands, holiday jewelry

First name: Belinda

What I collect: Bookmarks, buttons, books, business cards, elephants, marbles, slinkies, giraffes, glass, valentines, Fischer Price Little People™, super balls, stamps, dragons, holiday headbands, holiday jewelry

My collection is special because... Why? I like them and hobbies combat loneliness. But I have run out of room...

6. Antique apothecary poison bottles

First name: MJ

What I collect: Antique apothecary poison bottles

My collection is special because... The bottles are interesting and beautiful. They have unique shapes and colors to warn that they contain harmful drugs.

7. Tall friends

First name: Ashleigh

What I collect: Tall friends

My collection is special because... Tall friends are useful. They can reach stuff that my short friends cannot.

8. Gray hair

First name: Steve

What I collect: Gray hair

My collection is special because... I take them everywhere with me. It's almost like it's a part of me.

9. Belly button lint

First name: Jack

What I collect: Belly button lint

My collection is special because... it is so large.

10. Genealogical data

First name: Jora

What I collect: Genealogical data

My collection is special because... I keep uncovering fascinating, amazing stories of great great grandparents—how they traveled through America's history, across our country... how they survived! How I came to be...

Your turn! What do you collect? Why is your collection special?

This weekend is your last chance to visit the Imagine That exhibit and fill out your own collection card. Or, if you can't make it to the exhibit, tell us what you collect in the comments below. We'd love to hear the story behind your collection!

By Nadia Soucek, Visitor Services

Seattle's ghost shorelines

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 21:53:00 +0000

By Peter Lape, Amir Sheikh, and Don Fels

Someday soon, Seattle’s downtown waterfront will look very different than it does today. The City of Seattle is replacing our crumbling seawall, and perhaps Bertha will resume digging the tunnel to replace the rickety, looming and loud Alaska Way Viaduct, scheduled to be torn down in 2016.

These changes create the potential to reconnect to the Elliot Bay shoreline, a main reason the city was established here in the first place. Planning continues for a re-imagined waterfront, and architects, designers, planners and politicians are starting to share their ideas with Seattlites.

An architectural rendering shows what a Pioneer Square beach at the foot of Washington Street could look like.
Photo: Courtesy of James Corner Field Operations and City of Seattle, Adapted from The Seattle Times’ September 12, 2014 article titled “Seattle’s new waterfront: What it might look like and why.”

For more than ten years, we’ve worked as an informal group, known as the Waterlines Project, to examine Seattle’s past landscapes. Drawing from data gathered by geologists, archaeologists, historians and other storytellers, we are literally unearthing and imagining our collective pasts. We believe that Seattle, always known as a future-forward city (perhaps equally short of backward glances) might benefit from looking back at previous extreme makeovers.

What have we found? Among other things, Seattle is one of the most dramatically re-engineered cities in the United States. From the dozen or so settlers who founded it on Coast Salish land in 1851 to its current status as America’s fastest growing city, hardly a decade has gone by without its residents taking on some major “improvement” projects affecting its shorelines.

For Coast Salish people, the landscape was integral to their culture and actively managed. As non-Natives began to settle in the area, they found the hills too steep, rivers too wild, lakes too disconnected from the sea, and tidal flats too tempting not to fill in. Here are a few examples:

Denny Hill in process of being flattened, circa 1910.
Photo: Denny Hill Regrade, Asahel Curtis, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, UW4812.

The Duwamish River transforming into the Duwamish Waterway in this 1922 photograph. The lone Smith Tower is in the distant upper right and a young Harbor Island can be seen at the end of the channel.
File Photo / The Seattle Times

The Belltown neighborhood in downtown Seattle once was an important camping place for Coast Salish people as shown in this 1898 photograph. The shoreline was filled in and extended out to the foot of Broad Street at the current site of the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Photo: Then & Again photo by Clayton Kauzlaric. Original: Indian Summer Laborers Camp,on the Seattle Waterfront, Asahel Curtis, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, A. Curtis 25180.

The filling of the Duwamish estuary, 1875 to present.

Watch this Waterlines Project animation of Pioneer Square area of Seattle transforming from Native village to metropolis.

Ultimately, with each new river rerouting or tidal flat filling, the fragile connection between memory and landscape was broken, and with it a certain kind of wisdom was lost. These projects brought dubious benefits and cost more than money. The price of ecosystem disruption and impacts on the people who depended on them were rarely considered in the days before Environmental Impact Statements.

As much as we might blame some humans for ill-advised remodeling decisions, nature wins the award for heaviest hand. From glacial gouging that make east-west travel in the city so difficult today, to huge tectonic events that shook our city and washed it with tsunamis, natural forces play a co-starring role as Seattle’s landscape designers. This Waterlines Project video showcases the huge natural forces at play over the past 20,000 years.

Only time will tell what landscape changes will occur in the future. For instance, nature and humans both seem to be collaborating to raise sea levels through polar ice melt and shrinking glaciers that could make our city much more “maritime oriented” than it is now.

Seattle after the melting of polar ice raises sea levels 240 feet.
Photo: Islands of Seattle, by Jeffrey Linn.

Today, we can only wonder what is gone for good in our landscape or where we might catch glimpses of these ghost landscapes.

To help reconnect to our ghost past as we try to reconnect to our urban waterfront, the Waterlines Project team of researchers, artists and graphic designers, with funding help from 4Culture, has published a map as a guide. The Waterlines Map is a rendering of the Seattle area in the mid-19th century, just prior to non-Native settlement, created using photorealistic aerial views collaged with hand painting. It integrates research from the sciences, natural and cultural histories, with informed imagining.

The front side of the Waterlines Project Map shows the city's current shoreline
paired with the mid-19th century past. View the full-size map here.

The front of the map shows Seattle’s current shoreline overlaid onto the mid-19th century past. You’ll notice the Duwamish River, reconnected to Lake Washington through the Black River (before the lake was lowered 9 feet), is there in all of its curvy ‘organic’ glory. It also includes fresh and salt water marshes, prairies, forests and beaches—all labeled with Coast Salish place names and villages to reflect Native peoples heritage and ongoing connections to the city.

Back side of the Waterlines Project Map featuring tours of past landscapes.
View the full-size map here.

The back of the map shows four areas of the city, and can act as a guide to experience the subtle ways our past landscapes still exist if you know where, and how, to look. The map is free and can be picked up at the Burke Museum and other spots around town, or you can download a full-size pdf version of map. (Hint: It looks excellent hung up in your kitchen!)

This Halloween season, you can encounter real ghosts of Seattle’s past—its shorelines. Try kayaking on the Duwamish to find pieces of the old river still in place. Take a bike ride to see some of the huge gifts the glaciers left behind 14,000 years ago. Or take a walk through Pioneer Square—once a sand spit, lagoon, promontory and Coast Salish village site—now smothered under sawdust, building rubble and gravel washed down from Seattle’s steeper hills.

If you peer into the pits of the many building construction sites around Seattle, you might just see remnants of a ghost shoreline or two.

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The Waterlines Project team leadership is comprised of archaeologist Peter Lape, artist Don Fels and researcher Amir Sheikh. For more information about the Waterlines Project, visit the website: burkemuseum.org/waterlines/.

Download a full-size PDF version of the Waterlines Project Map.

A mammoth state symbol from Washington's prehistory

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 20:51:00 +0000

State symbols are designated to reflect the history and culture of a place. For instance, in Washington, we have a state tree that's common to our region (the Western Hemlock) and also a state bird (the Willow Goldfinch)—there's even a state dance (care to square dance, anyone?).

In the early 1990s, a group of elementary school students in Washington noticed an important piece of Washington's history that was not represented in the state symbols list: a remnant from prehistory Washington.

Prehistory is fascinating. Memorialized in the fossil record is evidence of massive floods, thousands of feet of solid ice and animals that we can now only imagine. Studying paleontology and learning what the planet looked like millions of years ago is akin to present-day detectives solving crimes with only a few clues and a wealth of scientific knowledge.

Mrs. Aebly's 2nd grade class in 1994.
Photo courtesy of Chris Pineo.

This topic captivated Chris Pineo and his classmates in Mrs. Sara Jane Aebly’s second grade class at Windsor Elementary School in Cheney, Washington. While learning about dinosaurs and paleontology, the students read about a class in Colorado that designated a state fossil and it inspired Chris and his classmates to seek out a fossil that represented Washington state.

The students researched what animals existed in Washington millions of years ago and consulted several universities and museums for advice. Ultimately, Chris and his classmates chose the Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) as the best representative of the state’s prehistory.

Part of the family Elephantidae, the Columbian mammoth is one of the largest land mammals to have ever roamed the North American continent. Both the Wooly mammoth and the Mastodon were smaller than the tall and lean Columbian mammoth that lived in both the eastern and western sides of the state.

Columbian mammoth specimens appear in the fossil record as far back as 1.8 million years but continue to appear as recent as 11,000 years ago (“recent” in paleontological terms). Specimens from these giant creatures can tell us a lot about the environment in which the mammoths lived, including climate temperature and even what they ate.

Letter from Mrs. Sara Aebly
to former Rep. Larry Sheahan.

At the time, the Windsor Elementary students knew taking on a project to pass legislation could be a mammoth undertaking. Though the idea came from the students, Chris recalls Mrs. Aebly helped steward the project through four long years of legislative process. “Mrs. Aebly kept in touch with us as the years went by, even when the number of students involved became smaller,” he said.

Then in 1998, Chris and three classmates went to Olympia to testify in front of the House Committee on Government Administration. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Sheahan and Schoester and backed by Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen, ultimately passed the Legislature and was unanimously signed into law by Governor Gary Locke.

Mrs. Sara Aebly, Chris Pineo, and Lt. Governor Brad Owen
testifying to the Legislature in 1998.

Fast forward 16 years later to February 2014 when the flame of mammoth mania was lit once again in Washington. A construction worker in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle came across an eight-and-a-half foot tusk from a Columbian mammoth. The construction crew called upon the Burke Museum, Washington's state museum, to assess the tusk and Burke paleontologists were on the scene within hours. The team of paleontologists carefully excavated the tusk while large crowds and news media crews watched the work unfold over a period of two days.

Large crowds and news media watch as Burke Museum
paleontologists carefully excavate the tusk.
Photo: Burke Museum.

Imagine That
Now as the state of Washington commemorates 125 years of statehood, the Burke Museum invites you to visit the tusk from the Columbian mammoth (nicknamed "LuLu the Lucky South Lake Union Mammoth" in a naming contest) in the Imagine That exhibit running through October 26, 2014 at the Burke Museum, Washington state's museum of natural history and culture.

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Written by Samantha Porter, Communications

For more information about the Burke Museum, your state museum of natural history and culture, visit burkemuseum.org.

For more information about the mammoth tusk discovery in South Lake Union, visit seattlemammoth.org.

Beautiful things: Still life photographs using Burke specimens & objects

noreply@blogger.com (Burke Museum) — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 18:32:00 +0000

When Dennis Wise and Malina Lopez wanted to use Burke Museum collections in their work, they weren’t interested in objects or specimens for the “usual” reasons.

Often, the people who use Burke collections are scientists and scholars. But for Wise and Lopez, a photographer and food stylist respectively, using Burke collections was all about getting creative and helping people see objects and specimens in new ways.

Natural history specimens make unexpected appearances in this beautiful series of still life
photographs. Keep reading for more images and the lists of specimens within them.