Human ancestor Lucy gets first European showing

The 3.18-million-year-old bone fragments of human ancestor Lucy, which rarely leave Ethiopia, went on display in Prague on Monday, with the Czech prime minister hailing the fossils' "first ever" showing in Europe.

The ancient remains of the Australopithecus afarensis were discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. The find was, at the time, the most complete ever made and revolutionised the understanding of humanity's ancestors.

At the Czech National Museum, Lucy's remains are presented alongside Selam, the fossil of a baby Australopithecus who lived about 100,000 years earlier than Lucy and was found in the same place 25 years later.

The fossils lent by Ethiopia's National Museum in Addis Ababa landed in Prague on August 15, under stringent security measures.

"Both skeletons rank among the most precious exhibits of the global heritage... they are exhibited in a European country for the first time ever," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said at the ceremonial opening with a military brass band.

Ethiopian Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa said the exhibition was unique in that Lucy and Selam were displayed together for the first time, "outside of Ethiopia of course".

"Ethiopia stands unparalleled for its continuous fossil record of human ancestors spanning six million years, with 14 specimens of human ancestors from Australopithecus to Homo sapiens discovered in Ethiopia," she added.

The 52 fragments will be shown for 60 days as part of the "People and their Ancestors" exhibition. It will open to the public later on Monday.

Donald Johanson, who discovered Lucy with his team, and Zeresenay Alemseged, who discovered Selam, also attended the opening in Prague