Event
A Fine Possession:
Jewellery & Identity
Throughout history, the desire
of humans to adorn themselves
has been universal. This exhibi-
tion – including 700 pieces
from the Powerhouse Museum’s
collection of 500,000 objects- celebrates the important place
of jewellery in our lives, from
antiquity to the modern-day,
through an eye-opening variety
of fascinating pieces made,
worn and collected in Australia.
When and where:
Until 22 May 2016
More info: http://www.powerhouse-
museum.com/exhibitions/jewellery/
January. February 21This silver wedding headdress
ornament from China is held in
the collection of the Museum
of Applied Arts and Sciences in
Sydney and was presented by an
Australian donor in 1940. Craft ed
in China in about 1800, it is inlaid
with gloriously iridescent ultra-
marine kingfi sher feathers, which
retain their colour even aft er
several centuries. The design is a
‘double happiness’ motif that joins
two of the Chinese characters for
‘joy’. For thousands of years, king-
fi sher feather jewellery has been
highly valued in China, denoting
wealth and social status.JOYOUS
FEATHERSbuzz
AG readers and expedition participants (top, from left ) Denis Hurley,
Jane West, Ali Calvey and Kathryn Burton pick through fi ne sediments
to fi nd microfossils. Some of the fossils we found included tiny and
beautifully serrated opalised teeth (centre) of small carnivorous
dinosaurs. Also pulled from Lightning Ridge opal mines have been
larger specimens, such as this as-yet-undescribed herbivorous
dinosaur, which is the most complete ever discovered in NSW.
MARINCO KOJDANOVSKI/POWERHOUSE MUSEUMEARLY
2016