Emu

This object, like the egg (inv. no. NM02 1396), is an artistically worked emu. Both were taken into the collection in 1904. According to the inventory entry, the outer eggshell was removed with an acid preparation. This revealed the shiny mother-of-pearl layer. Who worked on the eggs in this way and why, whether it was a commissioned work, a tourist souvenir or an everyday object, is unknown. It is equally unclear how they came to Freiburg from Australia. They were a gift from a Freiburg woman to the museum's natural history collection. The depictions show kangaroos in their natural habitat and probably a hunting scene. The emu's extensive peregrinations in search of food, which naturally take them over farmland, cause a great deal of economic damage. To combat this, fences have been erected widely across the country. Emus were and are an important source of protein for both the indigenous population and the settlers. Since the late 1980s, emus have been commercially exploited by breeding farms, not only in Australia. Meat and eggs are used for food production, skin for leather production, the fat for oil extraction for further use in cosmetics and natural healing products, feathers and egg shells for handicraft products. Emus can easily be kept in captivity and are therefore also suitable for presentations and breeding in zoos and animal enclosures. The emu plays a major role in Aboriginal mythology and traditional art. Early rock drawings, estimated to be around 15,000 years old, also depict the bird. Along with the red giant kangaroo, the emu is Australia's heraldic animal and its national bird. Numerous places, rivers, lakes etc. are named after it. It is depicted on coins, stamps and numerous products and is a hero in books and stories.