This is Mazon Monday post #172. What's your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:[email protected].
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On May 18th, 1990, ESCONI was part of a symposium on Mazon Creek fossil insects from Pit 11. Unfortunately, there aren't many details. However, we recently ran across some photos from the event at the Carbon Hill School Museum in their Tom Testa collection. Tom donated the photos and other miscellaneous materials. His Mazon Creek collection resides at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
Here's a report that appeared in the July/August 1990 ESCONI newsletter.
FOSSIL SYMPOSIUM
On May 18, 1990, ESCONI participated in a symposium on fossil insects of Pit 11.
The main participants were Dr. Jarmila Peck, Department of Geology, Carlton University, Ottawa, Canada and Dr. Robin J. Wooten, Cambridge University, England. Both are specialists in fossil insects. ESCONI members Andy Hay, coordinator of the meeting, Tom Testa, collector of Pit 11 fossils, Martha Prepp, and Don Auler also participated.
Most of the fossil insects of superb preservation were presented by Tom Testa. Our visitors were pleased and amazed about the fossils shown.
The program closed with ESCONI donating to the visitors, ESCONI's new fossil fauna book on Pit 11 and Tom Testa permitting Dr. Wooten to borrow his entire collection of Pit 11 fossil insects for study.
This meeting was a continuing example of ESCONI's dedication of the amateur collector to assist the professional.
Don Auler
Dr. Jarmila Peck of Carlton University did quite a bit of work on fossil insects. We have a few of her drawings.
Jarmila, Walter Lietz, and Dr. Robin Wooten.
Jarmila and Robin on a fossil hunt... possibly Pit 11.
George Agazzi with Rita Lietz (Walter's wife)
Those are fossil insects, not cookies!
These photos are courtesy of the Carbon Hill School Museum's Tom Testa Collection. The museum is located in Carbon Hill, IL. It has many historically significant photos, artifacts, and documents of the Coal City, Braidwood, and Wilmington area. The curator, Michele Micetich, is very knowledgeable. Visit her this summer for a trip back in time to the coal mining days of yesteryear!
