June 3, 2022

MoAW

presents

PALEO: The Story of Life

4.6 Billion Years of Fossil History

 THE LATE PALEOZOIC ERA

from 345 to 250 million years ago

Inundated by the inland invasion of the seas throughout the Mississippian (345 million years ago), the first division of the Carboniferous period, immense tropical forest regions were fossilized into deep carbon bands in the Earth’s crust. During the Pennsylvanian (310 million years ago), the remaining division of the period, reptiles diverged from their amphibious ancestors and began to proliferate on the land.

By the Permian (280 million years ago), named for the discovery of fossils near the region of Perm in Western Siberia, mammal-like reptiles (synapsids) had appeared, characterized by developments that would ultimately distinguish them from their reptile ancestors and lead to a new class of animals.

All of the continental land masses of the Cambrian collided during the Permian, forming the supercontinent of Pangaea. A series of devastating ice ages were triggered by the encroachment of the supercontinent on both poles. The resulting widespread extinction that ended the Permian period and the Paleozoic Era was of such massive proportions that it has never been equaled, over 90 percent of all species vanishing. The decimation of the once dominant multitudes of mammal-like reptiles provided an ecological niche that favored the surviving reptile groups. 

Subclass Synapsida,

Order Pelycosauria

Dimetrodon limbatus

Early Permian, Texas

The aggressive, carnivorous Dimetrodon (“Dual Sized Tooth”), distinguished by a prominent dorsal fin along its back, prowled the upland regions of the swampy delta of northern Texas along the edge of a shallow, drifting sea. The dominant predator of this area, Dimetrodon fed without competition on an abundant population of large defenseless amphibians. Belonging to the archaic order of finback pelycosaurs, these early cold-blooded synapsids were ancestral to the mammal-like reptiles of later Permian times. Dimetrodon was equipped with a ferocious arcade of palatine teeth in addition to the sharp teeth that lined their jaws. Incapable of sustaining an extended chase, they probably hid in the lush vegetation, waiting for unsuspecting prey to stray too close to escape a quick surprise attack.

The creature’s impressive dorsal “sail” provided a large surface area for warming the blood when exposed to sunlight and cooling it when in the shade, although such spectacular features may evolve more rapidly for the purpose of mating displays than for thermal functions. By the Middle Permian, when the climate along the delta became too dry to sustain them anymore, the Dimetrodons disappeared quite suddenly from the fossil record. Brigham Young University. 

 Subclass Labyrinthodontia,

Order Anthracosauria

Seymouria baylorensis

Early Permian, Texas

With a sturdy, terrestrial-type skeleton characteristic of reptiles and a skull exhibiting prominent ear notches characteristic of amphibians, Seymouria was long regarded as a primitive reptile and the closest link to their amphibian ancestry. Because related forms document the passage of a gilled larval stage, a characteristic thoroughly eliminating them from the reptilian class, Seymouria is now placed among the anthracosaurs (“Coal Reptiles”) by most authorities, thus including this distinctly terrestrial amphibian in the group of Permian labyrinthodont. Although Seymouria (named for the town of Seymour, Texas, where it was discovered) differed very little from the Pennsylvanian ancestors of the reptiles, it left no known descendants. This exquisite skeleton is from the U.S. National Museum. 

 Class Reptilia,

Order Cotylosauria

Cephalerpeton ventriarmatum

Pennsylvanian, Illinois

One of the very oldest vertebrates to be recognized as a reptile, Cephalerpeton belonged to the most primitive group, the anapsids, which began with the suborder Captorhinomorpha. Descended from labyrinthodont amphibians, the early “stem reptiles”, or cotylosaurs, were the ancestral stock of all Reptilia, distinguished by their revolutionary ability to deposit their eggs on dry land, bypassing the gilled larval stage of their immediate ancestors. As the first vertebrates to become entirely independent of the water, their ability to exploit the terrestrial habitat led to a rapid radiation of diversely specialized reptile groups which included the ancestors of birds and mammals. From the Mazon Creek deposits. Yale Peabody Museum.

 Phylum Arthropoda,

Class Insecta

Urogomphus giganteus

Late Jurassic, Germany

As evidenced by their distinctly segmented bodies, insects are the direct descendants of the early aquatic arthropods. Appearing in the Middle Devonian, primitive wingless insects gradually gave rise to such magnificently winged creatures as the ancestral dragonflies with 30-inch wingspans that subsequently inhabited the coal swamps from the Pennsylvanian throughout the Triassic. Distantly related to these ancient insects, Urogomphus (“Bolt Tail”), a true dragonfly, was a formidable predator, using its spiny legs for capturing prey. From the Humboldt Museum.

Class Insecta

Order Orthoptera

Mylacris

Pennsylvanian, Kansas

The most successful group in the animal kingdom, insects proliferated with the spread of the Carboniferous forests. The development of folded wings from thoracic flaps enabled the more advanced varieties of the terrestrial arthropods to escape predation. Unlike the dragonflies, whose primate, outstretched wings made hiding from predators difficult, these newly evolved insects with wings that folded backward rapidly flourished. Inhabiting the damp ground of humid, swampy forests, some Pennsylvanian cockroaches such as the gigantic Mylacris commonly grew to lengths of 3 to 4 inches. Unlike insects whose larval forms differ radically from their adult forms, cockroaches undergo incomplete metamorphosis, hatching into nymphs that differ very little from adult forms. Enduring for over 280 million years, cockroaches are close to the common ancestry of such diverse groups as crickets, beetles, wasps, ants, and moths. Private collection.

CURRENT EXHIBTIONS ON DISPLAY

Figure of Maitreya

China

Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644)

Painted Wood

ALL UNDER HEAVEN

Treasures of the East

Earth, Heaven,

and the Afterlife

A Very Special Gift From

Marlene and Bruce Kanter,

Heather James Fine Art

Tim Walsh

Michael H. Healy

Tianxia (天下) or, All Under Heaven is an ancient phrase used to define the ideal of a perfect and harmonious empire in the eyes of the people.

50 original antiquities spanning millennia (3,600 B.C. to 1850 A.D.) of ancient Asian cultures, from mysterious funerary objects and life-size protective temple guardians, to delicate terracotta sculptures created for the tombs of the deceased. A tapestry of silk and gold thread, a rare lacquered cosmetic box, earthen vessels, and bronze statues, these ancient treasures from China, Japan, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia, celebrate everlasting happiness, remembrance, and eternal life.

This grand collection of 50 Asian antiquities is divided into three sections: Earthly possessions, objects used by the living, the temple icons of Buddha and Shiva (Heaven), and funerary goods, objects found in the tombs of the elite (the Afterlife). Representing China, Japan, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia, MoAW premieres these dazzling artifacts for the first time together in one exhibition All Under Heaven: Earth, Heaven, and the Afterlife.

PALEO: The Story of Life

4.6 billion years of fossil history 

Drawn from the world’s foremost fossil collections, the unprecedented treasury of fossil casts known as PALEO: The Story of Life brings together in one exhibition some of the most exciting finds in the history of paleontology from over a century of worldwide excavations, exhibited in geological, chronological order.

From 2.5 billion-year-old single cellular cyanobacteria responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere to the first multicellular life of 700 million years ago, PALEO: The Story of Life spans 4.6 billion years in scope. From the Precambrian to the Paleozoic Era, from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods of the Mesozoic Era to mammals and prehistoric humans of the Cenozoic Era (including the famous Lucy skeleton), this internationally acclaimed, comprehensive collection dramatically illustrates the awesome story of prehistoric life on Earth.

Displaying casts of rare fossils from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, this prestigious collection includes skeletons, skulls, claws, and eggs gathered from such revered museums as the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, The Royal Ontario Museum, the Carnegie Museum, and the National Museums of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, as well as many others.

Val Samuelson, Bulldozing Modernist

Artist of the Cove

Cathedral City

Historical Society

presents

Then and Now

A 40th-year anniversary exhibition of the history of Cathedral City

A comprehensive photographic and artifact-rich timeline of the history of Cathedral City will greet you upon entering the lobby of the Museum of Ancient Wonders. This is an exhibition of recollections of the people and places that created Cathedral City's early history and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its burgeoning progress, from the past to the present, THEN AND NOW is a loving tribute to the City of Cathedral City.

Saturn With Six Moons

Voyager I Photographic Montage

On Display In Association With PALEO: The Story of Life

STARSCAPE:

A Journey To The

Beginning of Time

This spectacular collection of 33 space photographs combines breathtaking digitalized images from the historic Mariner, Viking, and Voyager probes with stunning photographs from the Apollo lunar missions, the Hubble Space Telescope, and ground-based observatories. Gathered from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology, the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the Hansen Planetarium, this awesome display of cosmic spectacles is a journey to the early days of the cosmos. 

Diorama of Australopithecus afarensis

American Museum of Natural History

New York City

LUCY:

The Story of Human Origins

(Courtesy of the Institute of Human Origins and

the National Museum of Ethiopia,

Addis Ababa)

On view exclusively at the

Museum of Ancient Wonders

JURASSIC WONDERS

11 Lifesize Metal Dinosaurs

Public Art Display

created by

Ricardo Breceda

MoAW presents JURASSIC WONDERS, a public art installation in collaboration with Cathedral City displaying 11 lifesize Dinosaurs created by renowned artist Ricardo Breceda. Divided into 4 stunning dioramas on the corner of Buddy Rogers Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive across the street from City Hall until December 31, 2022.

Become A Member of MoAW

The newest perk of membership: Free admission to more than 1,200 museums nationwide through the North American Reciprocal Museum Program (NARM) Plus, discounts at their museum shops and restaurants (if given to their members). Local museums include the Palm Springs Art Museum and Cabot's Pueblo Museum, several museums in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, throughout California, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, including Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is available to all members at the Donor Level ($125.00) or higher. Members who qualify will be receiving new membership cards with the NARM logo to be used at participating museums.

Current members who would like to upgrade their membership to take advantage of this new benefit please give us a call, (442) 268-5004.

Click below for more information and to join.

THANK YOU

MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods; to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts, colleges, and universities, establishing museum diversity for the Coachella Valley.

Hours of Operation:

Monday - Saturday

10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.



The last admission is taken one hour before closing.

Admission:

$15.00 Adults

$12.00 Students, Seniors, & Military

$ 3.00 Discount available for Coachella Valley Residents

$10.00 Group Rate for 10 or more individuals.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MoAW is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, the American Alliance of Museums, and the California Association of Museums.

MoAW IS SPONSORED BY

Alberto Acosta, Executive Director & Chief Curator

Joseph McCabe, Director of Development

Museum of Ancient Wonders

ART LABOE FOUNDATION, INC.