2005/2006 Expeditions

Africa

Antarctica

Asia

Australia & New Zealand

Central & South America

Europe, Russia & the Arctic

North America -

Photo courtesy of Mark Norell, American Museum of Natural History

Photo courtesy of Mark Norell, American Museum of Natural History

Beijing, Xian, Yangtze River Cruise & a Special Look at the Feathered Dinosaurs of Great Interest to Science!
CHINA FEATHERED DINOSAUR EXPEDITION
March 18-April 5, 2006 Sponsored by the Harvard
Museum of Natural History

We invite you to join us in March 2006 to explore some of the world’s most spectacular fossil sites of feathered dinosaurs, the species at the transition from reptile to bird. This expedition also includes the Wolong Panda Reserve.

After visiting the vibrant and historical capital of China, we will travel north from Beijing to the Chaoyang Basin in Liaoning Province where late-Jurassic shales hold fossils that have contributed much to what we know about the evolutionary transition from reptiles to birds. Here the Yixian Formation continues to revolutionize what we know about the origins of flight.

In January 2003, researchers described a feathered reptile with gliding wings on each of its four legs. Such an unexpected creature strengthens the theory that avian flight evolved from “the trees down” rather than from “the ground up.” The exquisitely fine-grained shales of the Sihetun fossil site near Beipiao hold a plethora of fossilized leaves and insect larva, expressing detail down to the very ultra-structure of the insects’ wings and antennae. It’s an enthralling place from which to sample the book of life.

Additional dinosaur sites on our itinerary include a fascinating in-situ display at Zigong in the Sichuan Basin. We’ll also visit several museums of national importance that have excellent dinosaur exhibitions, including the Beijing Museum of Vertebrate Paleontology, the Beipiao Museum of Paleontology, and the more contemporary Changzhou Dinosaur Museum near Suzhou and Shanghai.

But paleontology is just one facet on a journey that features highlights of the Chinese world, both historical and contemporary.

Some of our non-fossil destinations are deservedly famous, including a chance to see the giant pandas at
Wolong and the 2300-year-old terra cotta warriors of Qin Dynasty in Xi’an. The Three Gorges of the Yangzte River and it’s brand new, enormous dam site offers a more contemporary example of how China likes to set standards for ambitious construction.

Other places we will visit are refreshingly obscure, but fascinating all the same: the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan features enigmatic bronze-age masks, human caricatures, and other creations of uncertain utility, produced in the third millennium BC. At Dazu, also in Sichuan, we’ll visit a hillside of sublime Buddha images, carved into hundreds of stone grottoes during the Tang Dynasty, more than 1200 years ago.

Our voyage down the Yangzte River, on board a comfortable cruise ship, will take us through the spectacular Three Gorges. Here the world’s largest and perhaps the most controversial dam project is creating an enormous reservoir. After traversing the gorges and descending through locks to pass the dam, we’ll continue by air to Shanghai.

The journey will conclude with a visit to the Changzhou Dinosaur Park and the traditional “water towns” of Zhouzhuang or Tongli, representative of the traditional “rice and fish” agricultural landscapes of China’s eastern coastal plain. Shanghai is China’s most economically progressive city, yet it preserves a remarkable array of historical sites like the waterfront bund and the old commercial center. Our final evening in Shanghai may include a short cruise on the Pujiang River as well as a fabulous acrobatic performance.

No modern society has witnessed more rapid change than contemporary China. Today the Middle Kingdom presents to foreigners a baffling, enthralling tapestry of landscapes and lifestyles. Rice fields, water buffalo and jagged, green hills still typify the rural scene, but the cities have changed tremendously. Today, Internet cafes share street space with teahouses and music shops. Artisans, business commuters, and doting grandparents walk together in the urban centers.

Beyond learning about feathered dinosaurs and visiting historic sites of global importance, our journey through the Middle Kingdom will confront a variety of fascinating questions about the natural and cultural heritage of China. We will take advantage of the opportunity to meet local people, both in scheduled exchanges with scientists and local experts, and spontaneous meetings with villagers and merchants in cities and small towns. We hope you will join us for an unforgettable visit to a fascinating part of the world.

Brochure (Requires an Adobe pdf reader to view)