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Artifact of the Month ArchiveJune 2010
By Mary Herman, Collections Intern
May 2010
This coral, commonly known as Brain Coral, is part of the family Faviidae. This type of coral is found in shallow, warm-water coral reefs in all of Earth’s oceans. A head of coral is formed by a colony of tiny genetically identical sea animals, called polyps, which secrete a calcium carbonate skeleton using minerals the coral gets from sea water. The polyps continue to live in the grooves formed on the coral and obtain food by using tiny tentacles that are extended at night. The coral feeds on small drifting organisms and algae that grows within its tissues. The coral uses its tentacles for protection during the day by wrapping them over the grooves on its surface and also for removing sand and other particles from its grooves. The largest brain corals have a life span of 900 years and can grow up to 6 feet in height. This particular specimen is about 6.5 inches tall and 11 inches wide.
March 2010
The Great Horned Owl was granted its species name Bubo Virginianus because its first documented sighting occurred in the Virginia Colonies of North America. The Great Horned Owl has adapted to various climates extremely well and can be found in nearly any North American habitat, including dense forests, plains, city parks, and deserts; they are found in parts of South America as well. The Great Horned Owl derives its English name from its horn-like tufts of feathers which are sometimes referred to as “ear tufts” although they have nothing to do with hearing. They capture their prey in a variety of ways, including perching on high poles or branches and diving down, flying slowly above the ground, walking along the ground, and wading into water for aquatic prey. Rather than building their own nests, Great Horned Owls occupy places such as hollows of trees, abandoned buildings, and other birds’ nests. Adult owls generally have a wingspan from 36-60 inches and measure an average of 18-25 inches in height. The few natural predators of these owls include other Great Horned Owls, Peregrine Falcons, and occasionally Northern Goshawks; most owls die from human-related threats such as hunting, road kills, and electrocution.
February 2010
The Chelydra serpentine, also known as the snapping turtle, can be found in almost any body of water, but its most favorable surroundings include muddy backwaters and ponds complete with abundant aquatic vegetation. They are most active from late March through October, but can be found in the water at any time of the year. Locations in which the turtle can generally be found include the area east of the Rocky Mountains through Southern Canada and all of the United States, Mexico, Central America and even into South America as far south as Ecuador. Snapping turtles generally live about 30-40 years, living longer in northern habitat areas. This species of turtle typically weighs from 10-30 pounds in adulthood and its upper shell will reach up to 19 inches in length. The preferred diet of the snapping turtle includes fish, crayfish, toads, frogs, aquatic insects and plants, and muskrats and the turtle’s primary predator is man. Snapping turtles are strong swimmers but do not generally act aggressively unless encountered on land or threatened; they are typically calm and quiet while in the water.
January 2010
This piece of obsidian measures about 3.5 inches long and about 2 2/3 inches wide. Its shiny black surface also has some circular and some straight striations. Obsidian is formed by the rapid cooling of lava and is typically black in color, although the presence of iron oxide can produce a red or brown coloring. Obsidian has been valuable due to its sharpness when fractured, making it a useful projectile point or blade. It was also polished to create early mirrors. Modern uses for obsidian include scalpel blades for cardiac surgery since an obsidian blade maintains its smooth, clean edge down to a microscopic level while a conventional steel blade does not. Obsidian is found in areas where Rhyolitic volcanic eruptions have occurred, such as Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Peru, Argentina, and Greece. Written by Katie Hamlin, Collections Intern
December 2009
This vase is an excellent example of Hopi Indian Pottery
collected by Mr. Brigham in Northeast Arizona. The making of
this vessel and other forms of Hopi Pottery is an extremely intensive
and time-consuming process, typically taking upwards of 40 hours
to complete one vessel. Skilled artists with knowledge about
the making and designing of traditional Hopi Pottery use clay from
guarded sites located in their Arizona reservations. The clay
is gathered is cleaned and rolled into long strands, which are used
to create the shape of the vessel being made, in this case a vase. There
was no pottery wheel used in the creation of the vase, instead a
coil and scrap method was used where a scraping tool was used to
smooth the clay until it became a solid wall. The vase was
then set out to harden and then polished. A white wash was
then applied and the designs are painted on using plant and mineral
pigments. Written by Daniel Hohf
November 2009
This headdress was brought back to the museum by Edward Brigham, Sr. from one of his trips to the Amazon region during the 19th Century. This headdress gives us a chance to learn about the culture of South American Indians because many headdresses are directly linked to ceremonies and rituals, such as initiation ceremonies and dance ceremonies practiced by tribal groups. Fortunately for Kingman Museum we were able to add this headdress to our collection as many ritual objects are discarded by tribal groups immediately after use because of religious beliefs and tradition. The feathers for these types of headdresses were obtained from pet birds after the birds shed their feathers, as well as from birds that were hunted for food. These amazingly colored blue and rust feathers are most likely from a Blue Crowned or Rufous Motmot. This artifact as well as many other artifacts brought to Kingman Museum by Mr. Brigham can be viewed in our temporary exhibit, Where in the World is Edward Brigham? Written by Dan Hohf, Collection Intern
October 2009
September 2009
Coprolites are fossilized animal dung (or poop). Fossils refer to any preserved remains of animals, plants, or other living things from a very long time ago. Coprolites come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, depending on the animal and what they ate. Some of these coprolites are from dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago. Paleontologists use them to determine what the animal ate and how they behaved. How do we know the difference between a coprolite and rock? Paleontologists look at how the object is shaped (spiral or annular markings), by their content (undigested food fragments), and by associated fossil remains (what type of fossils are found with it).
August 2009
The Petoskey stone is both a rock and a fossil made up of hexagonaria percarinta, fossilized coral. The stones where created when sheets of ice, that once covered Michigan, removed the stones from bedrock and grinded them smooth. The Petoskey stones were then deposited by the glaciers on the lower peninsula of Michigan. The stones are quite common in areas such as the Sleeping Bear Dunes and are a popular souvenir for tourists. They are easily identified by their glossy texture and distinct circular markings. The stone was named after the Ottawa Indian chief Pet-O-Sega. Come to Kingman Museum to view more fossils and other effects glaciers had on Michigan.
July 2009
The main purpose for Edward Brigham’s 1880 expedition to the Amazon was to find what was known as the four-legged bird. The four-legged bird, the hoatzin, can be identified by four claws on its “extra digits”. These claws help the hoatzin cling to trees and move around its rainforest habitat. The hoatzin’s unusual claws are crucial to its survival because after birth they drop from their tree-top nests to the water below and must be able to climb to safety, from various Amazon predators. Edward Brigham discovered new bird species as far away as the Bolivia and even right here in Michigan.
June 2009
Mastodons once roamed our glacial past with their more common known distant relatives the wooly mammoth. Mastodons are now extinct and all we have left to give us a glimpse of their daily lives is fossils, like this tooth. The tooth is over four inches long which fits the mastodon’s massive frame. The tooth ranges from a light, almost golden color, to a dark brown. The tooth is worn down on its top face and also has some internal fractures. The tooth most likely came to be in this state from frequent chewing of ice age vegetation. Their teeth are very similar to human molars and are designed specifically for grinding up tough vegetation. This artifact and other objects from the ice age can be viewed on the main level of Kingman Museum. Come visit Kingman Museum’s ice age exhibit to experience our freezing cold history.
May 2009
This decorative shield serves as a reminder of a time when shields were a central component of defensive weaponry and tribal identity for the Zulu Tribe of South Africa. Made of cowhide, a Zulu war shield, large enough to cover the whole height of a warrior, could provide a warrior with physical protection. More valuable than physical protection perhaps, was the shield’s implied spiritual or symbolic power. Prior to a battle, a Zulu warrior took his shield to an Inyanga, or doctor, to increase the protective power of the shield so that no harm would come to him. This item and many more historic and contemporary African artifacts can be viewed in our temporary exhibit, Safari Africa: Changing Perspectives, which concludes at the end of May. Plan your excursion to Safari Africa’s past and present today!
April 2009
As spring approaches in Michigan, we are on the lookout for signs of new life. One way the museum teaches us about new life is with its collection items that are related to the nesting behavior of birds. The saguaro boot, also known as a cactus boot, serves as a home for many desert creatures of the southwestern United States, and is one of our collection’s most unique nests. It is formed when a woodpecker or flicker hollows out a large hole in the cactus. The bird leaves to let the cactus heal its wound with sap, which hardens into a protective bark-like scar. When this process is complete, the original creator of the “boot” comes back to build its nest within the saguaro, or sometimes another bird species takes advantage of this new nesting site. This “boot” contained a cactus wren nest and originated in Arizona. It is a light-weight, elongated structure, reminiscent of paper mache in texture, with an opening in one end. It was exposed as the saguaro cactus decayed and died.
March 2009
Whether or not cougars are breeding in Michigan has been a heated topic of conversation over the last few months (for some even longer). Hair and scat (poop) samples have tested positive for cougar. The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy would like the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to acknowledge that a breeding cougar population exists so plans can be made for study and preservation. The DNR believes there are a small number of cougars in Michigan that are transients from populations in North Dakota and South Dakota or are released pets. Cougars are currently listed as endangered in Michigan. They weigh 80 to 200 pounds and are 7 to 9 feet long. Depending on the region, they are also referred to as mountain lions, pumas, panthers, and catamounts. Young males will search for their own terrain, traveling over 200 miles. Cougar tracks are 3 to 4 inches wide with four toe prints; their nails are retractable and usually do not show in track imprints.
February 2009
The Hopi word, “Kachina,” has three meanings: a group of spirits, masked dancers impersonating the spirits, and a small painted doll. Although the idea of Kachina spirits is ancient, the dolls, or tihu, have only been around about 100 years. Elder male tribal members construct them from cottonwood root. Earlier dolls were simple in form with oversized, oval heads. Later dolls are more proportional. The average size is between 8 and 10 inches; our doll is 9 inches. This Kachina was probably collected by Kingman Museum’s second director, Edward Brigham, Jr. during one of his Southwest expeditions in the early 1950’s.
January 2009
Smallest of the gazelle species is the Speke's gazelle. Its nose is its most unique feature. Three to five folds of skin, which lie just behind the nostrils across the bridge of the nose, can be inflated into a sac half the size of a tennis ball. Its call is a loud, gunshot-like sneeze, which is made by inflating the nose sac. The Speke’s Gazelle was classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2007. Loss of grazing land to livestock, plus the threats of hunting and drought are the leading causes. The Speke’s Gazelle can now be seen in Safari Africa: Changing Perspectivies.
December 2008
February’s birthstone, amethyst, is the most valuable member of the quartz family. It is found inside geodes and in alluvial deposits all around the world, but primarily in Brazil and Zambia. Amethyst forms from the presence of manganese in clear quartz; the amount of iron in the mineral directly affects the shade of purple. Dark colors of amethyst have been treasured by royalty for centuries and can be traced back to 2,500 B.C. During the 15th century, the French fleur-de-lis brooches could only be worn by the Royal Family during ceremonial occasions. Amethyst is believed to have powers for dreams, healing, peace, love, spirituality, courage, happiness, and protection from thieves. November 2008
American badgers are found in open plains and prairies, farms, and some wood edges. Its range is increasing and can be found in most regions of the United States. This specimen was found south of Battle Creek on D Drive South. It usually avoids human contact but is very capable of defending itself against a human if harassed. The American badger is mostly nocturnal but is active during the day as well. A carnivore, it forages by visiting abandoned dens and digging up hibernating animals. Occasionally a badger will dig itself into an inhabited burrow and await the occupant’s return. Burrows or dens are central to the badger’s existence; it uses its many dens for sleeping, giving birth, and food storage. October 2008
This black ash basket was purchased from Stephanie Pigeon at the NHBP reservation in Fulton, Michigan. Believed to be traditional, the design shown here is an Ojibwa floral pattern. The basket is made from thin strips of black ash tree. Some of the stripes have been dyed red with Rit dye. Traditional ceremonial baskets are dyed with a mixture of blood root and blackberries. The black ash tree is the northern most of all ash trees and can be found throughout the Great Lakes Region. It’s soft but durable wood is ideal for basket making. September 2008
This mount was collected by Edward M. Brigham, Sr., Kingman Museum’s first director, in 1881 during one of his many expeditions to South America. The resplendent quetzal lives in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America. The male quetzal has a tail feather that can be up to three feet long. The female’s tail is much shorter. To the Mayans, it is a sacred bird and is shown in their artwork and legends. Quetzal is the official bird of Guatemala and the name for their currency. The resplendent quetzal is quickly loosing its habitat due to human invasion and without its natural habitat the species is doomed to extinction. August 2008
July 2008
The octopus lure is a devise used for attracting and catching octopi. It is commonly known in Hawaii as taco, a favorite Hawaiian meal. This lure is constructed from a tiger cowry shell, a stone for weight, plant rope, and bone hook. The octopus, which is attracted by the snail inside the cowry shell, is tricked because there is no snail, only a hook to catch it. Hawaiian day octopus, the most common octopus found in Hawaii, was probably caught with this lure. Although the donor is not listed on the object record, it is most likely that Edward M. Brigham, Sr. collected this lure while on one of his many expeditions. June 2008
This albino white-tailed deer was shot in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, near the Porcupine Mountains by Albert Bousson around 1968. White-tailed deer are able to survive in a variety of terrestrial habitats, from the big woods of northern Maine to the deep saw-grass and hammock swamps of Florida. Whitetail deer are the most nervous and shy of our deer. They can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and often enter large streams and lakes to escape predators or insects or to visit islands. Animals can be pure or partial albinos. Partial albinos have some of the coloration typical of their species, but parts of their bodies appear white. Pure albinos have pink eyes and their fur is completely white.
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Japanese post card
Brain
coral
Object
name: Bubo Virginianus
Object
name: Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina
Object
Name: Obsidian
Object
Name: Hopi Pottery Vase 
Headdress 
Coprolites
Petoskey
Stone
Hoatzin
Study Skin
Hoatzin
Skeleton
Mounted
Hoatzin
Mastodon
Tooth
Zulu
war shield
Saguaro
Boot
Cougar
Kachina
Doll
Speke’s
Gazelle
2006.0.942
2008.2.1
2008.1.1
881.1.1
2006.63.19
978.10.1|
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All photos and content ©2008-2010 Kingman Museum, Inc. unless otherwise noted. The mission of Kingman Museum is to provide lifelong learning opportunities in natural history, the universe, and world cultures for all ages for all time.
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