In a first of its kind, an artefact custody certificate has been issued to keep and display mammal and sal tree fossils in Popa’s National Geopark, according to U Kyaw Myo Win, director of the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan Branch).
Dr Tun Hla Aung, owner of Linn Hotel in Byatta Street, Popa, Kyaukpadaung township, and his wife Daw Tin Tin Mar have established a museum to display 140 mammal and sal tree fossils found in the Ayeyawady rock strata for public study and to support the Mount Popa Geopark, following an awareness campaign by the departments concerned. The hotel submitted an application to designate its museum as a geosite and to obtain the artefact custody certificate according to Form No 3 of the Rule of Ancient Artifacts Protection and Conservation”.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture issued the certificate in Form 4 after the necessary site inspection.
The ceremony to hand over the certificate to the owner of Linn Hotel was held at the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan Branch).
“This is the first time that the artefact custody certificate has been issued in the Geopark. For example, if you have more than 100 or 150 ancient artefacts, you have to apply for custody of them. When you have this certificate, it is legal to keep them. If you do not have the certificate, it is not legal. To keep any artefact that is 100 years old, you can apply to our Department of Archaeology and National Museum,” U Kyaw Myo Win told the Global New Light of Myanmar. — MT/ZN/ED
