Lucy, Ethiopia’s Prehistoric Icon, Arrives in Europe for Landmark Exhibition

Edited By: Widad WAHBI

The fossilised remains of Lucy, one of the world’s most celebrated prehistoric skeletons, have left Ethiopia for the first time to be displayed in Europe. The 3.2-million-year-old specimen of Australopithecus afarensis will be exhibited at the National Museum in Prague for two months.

Discovered in Ethiopia in 1974, Lucy’s skeleton—around 40% complete—provided groundbreaking evidence of early bipedalism, a defining moment in human evolution. “Her scientific value is one thing,” said Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University. “But Lucy is such an iconic specimen that she belongs to the whole world. Sharing her with the rest of the world is something everybody would love to see.”

Haile-Selassie described Lucy’s journey as that of a “diplomat,” building bridges between people and nations. While many in Addis Ababa welcomed the opportunity to share Ethiopia’s heritage with a wider audience, others voiced concern that the fossil should remain in its homeland.

The Prague exhibition will also feature Selam, the fossilised remains of a baby Australopithecus discovered in the same region, offering an even deeper window into humanity’s ancient roots. Michal Lukeš, Director General of the Czech National Museum, called the loan “a unique insight into the past” and a chance to enrich global understanding of human origins.