The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) in Regina recently opened a new lobby exhibit that brings a jewel from our prehistoric past into the present. A three-dimensional replica of the skull and lower jaw of Scotty, the Tyrannosaurus rex, is now on public display. The skull is surrounded by glimpses of history describing the discovery, collection and subsequent interpretation of the fossil remains of Scotty. "This new exhibit offers a glimpse into our past," Culture, Youth and Recreation Minister Joan Beatty said. "Scotty's discovery is important because it increases our knowledge about this fascinating, rare dinosaur and the ancient world in which it lived." The first bones of Scotty were found in 1991 by Eastend school teacher Robert Gebhardt during a prospecting trip with RSM staff. The RSM returned to the site in 1994 and determined that a T. rex skeleton was preserved in the side of the hill. The discovery brought worldwide attention to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the Eastend area and Saskatchewan. Scotty's skull was not found in one piece; instead the individual bones that make up the skull and jaws had separated from each other after the animal died. Each bone was cleaned and the missing parts reconstructed. The bones were then moulded and cast to produce replicas that were used to put the skull together. As a result, we can now see what Scotty's head looked like. "The display of Scotty's skull is the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work," Earth Sciences Curator Dr. Harold Bryant said. "Now everyone can come face-to-face with this dinosaur predator!" The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is fully funded by the provincial government as part of its commitment to give the people of Saskatchewan an appreciation and understanding of our natural and cultural heritage.
