[meteorite-list] ...mali or Algeria ...

From: mexicodoug <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:02:40 -0500
Message-ID: <006301c814d5$bdc17160$4001a8c0_at_MICASA>

Greg wrote:

"Remember when Amgala was first named, and then another name also refers to
it (Oum Dreyga). Well, this happened because the material was found in both
of those areas and that is why you will find Amgala/Oum Dreyga and both
names are accepted for that one."

Hi Greg, List,

Oum Dreyga is an interesting sounding name. Does anyone know what it means?
As an amateur astronomer I would guess, "The Mother of the Dragon."

I am confused by Greg's comment which strongly supports the continuing usage
of the "accepted" name Amgala. Does the Meteoritical Society agree in
having two official names for any named fall or find for that matter? (They
don't according to the MetSoc/USGS online database) Or do you mean accepted
in the sense of, e.g., calling "Brenham" the "Haviland" meteorite just
because some fell in Haviland too?

This is not a Gao-Guenie situation as both of those names were published due
to poor field documentation and later officially merged to straighten out
the perplexing research situation. In that case, they may be called Gao the
way I rationalize this, as a shorthand for the full name for those that have
some sentimental attachment to them: like Greg for Gregory or Doug for
Douglas.

I just looked at an attractive, representative fully crusted specimen of
"Amgala" at http://chicagometeorites.net/id48.html , and chided the
enthusiastic owner about the name (he courteously obliged by adding Oum
Dreyga in parens).

I now remembered this post you made recently to Aziz. Honestly, I'm now
confused after rereading it when I thought I was ok before. I have two
beautiful "Amgala" stones I got from The Hup? Collection. Googling Amgala I
find many sites where collectors and hunters are going to lenghts to explain
that this is the same meteorite, and often "Amgala" is bolder with Oum
Dreyga in parenthesis or below in the text. Is that meteoritically cool?

I vaugely remember the Hup? Collection Team was among the first to research
this meteorite and mentioned "Amgala" was only a provisional "working name"
that was subject to change and therefore should not be used until it was
properly documented. If I am remembering correctly great, anyways, I
totally agree with that regarding the change. Certainly some casual
collectors will have both Oum Dreyga and Amgala specimens and think they
have two different falls. Is there any special reason all serious
collectors shouldn't strive to lose these unofficial synonyms, as our useful
contributions to meteoritics, which includes taxonomy, or at least mention
that they are unofficial synonyms, outdated, products of premature marketing
(by everyone in the rythm of today's world), or just unofficial marketing
names for Oum Dreyga?

If Carancas turns out to be Huanocollo, or Desaguadero; Mali becomes
Algeria, etc., I think we all have a proud responsability to support proper
nomenclature for authentic specimens. I would appreciate your thoughtful
opinion on the best way to keep the nomenclature under control in the
collectors' arena - and to help clean up what I personally perceive as a bad
precedent in progress.

Thanks kindly and best wishes,
Doug
Received on Mon 22 Oct 2007 02:02:40 PM PDT