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The Next BMC Event
Tuesday, February 3rd – 7:30 PM
A Combined Meeting with the Boston Malacological Club
Topic: The Minerals and Molluscs of the Middle East
Presenters: Kristina Joyce, Richard Piligian, Ed Nieburger and Scott Robichaud
For the fourth year in a row the February meeting of the Boston Mineral Club will be held jointly with the Boston Malacological Club (i.e.: The Shell Club). Both of our clubs meet at Harvard on the first Tuesday of the month and this combined meeting gives each group a chance to meet one another and share information about our common interest in collecting objects of beauty from the natural world. The theme of this combined meeting is “The Minerals and Molluscs of the Middle East” and the program will consist of four short presentations on topics related to that theme. Brief outlines of each of the presentations that will be given are as follows:
Pearls & Oysters. Kristina Joyce is a member of the Boston Mineral Club since 2001 and a past president of the Boston Malacological Club. Kristina will speak about the desert Bedouins diving off the east coast of the current United Arab Emirates for oysters with pearls that were traded worldwide through the port of Dubai. Kristina’s presentation will include photographs (some coast, city gold souks, and mountains for gravel) and artifacts from her June 2014 trip to Dubai and the other United Arab Emirates.
Pyrite and Lapis - Richard Piligian is a member of the Boston Mineral Club. Rich will speak about finding pyrite in the eastern area of Turkey where his family originated. He will also speak about beautiful blue lapis and its significance in the Middle East (use in art and as a talisman against evil eye). Images and specimens will accompany his presentation.
Shells of Oman - Ed Nieburger, a member of the shell club, will speak about Donald and Eloise Bosch and their work with mollusca in Oman including publications and a unique shell named for Mrs. Bosch. Books and shells will be displayed on this topic.
Tiger and Panther Cowries - Scott Robichaud, a member of the shell club, will speak about two fascinating molluscs, the tiger and panther cowries, from Middle Eastern waters. Scott is a diver par excellence and will provide an excellent collection of the cowries.
In keeping with the theme of the night, Boston Mineral Club members are encouraged to bring in any mineral specimens (including lapidary pieces) in their collection that come from the Middle East to display and Shell club members are encouraged to similarly bring in any special shells in their collections from the area. The BMC display case will be available to display your specimens.
The Harvard Mineral Museum will be open as usual from 7 to 8 PM and the meeting will be held in Haller Hall (our usual meeting room). Refreshments will be available starting at 7:30 PM and the meeting will formally begin at 8:00 PM with very short business meetings for both clubs before starting the presentations.
Refreshments for this meeting will be provided by Donna Dickerson, Peter Jackson and Kristina Joyce and will complement the topic. This will include dates, pita bread/chips, humus, babaganoush, olives, Iranian raisin cookies, Jordan almonds, coffee, mint tea and flavored waters.
The meeting will conclude with our traditional mineral specimen raffle. These combined meetings are always interesting and informative. I hope that you can attend!
- Nate Martin, BMC President
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