The Origin of Man
odd: label: Local Number
content: HSFA 1989.18.3
name: label: Collection Collector
content: Lieshout, Henry van
setName: label: See more items in
content: Henry van Lieshout films
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel (5 minutes, black-and-white silent; 336 feet, 16mm)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1920
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Edited film produced by Pathe Review from footage taken in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural History Central Asiatic Expeditions (1921-1930). The film builds on the theme of these expeditions which were intended to establish Mongolia as the birthplace of man. Although the expeditions ultimately failed to do this, they do remain associated with the discovery of dinosaur eggs which established the reptilian, as opposed to the mammalian, nature of dinosaurs. The film features shots of archeological sites, the unearthing of a nest of dinosaur eggs, and excavation of the bones of the "balichitherium," a large land mammal. Accompanying shots include comparison of "primitive" cranial types with the phrenology of contemporary Mongolians. These are intercut with scenes of Mongolian life which include a pony market where stock is corralled, roped, and culled for sale; a pony race; and a camel caravan crossing the Gobi Desert.

Legacy Keywords: Expeditions ; Archeological sites Gobi Desert China ; Dinosaur eggs China