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

[mexicodoug]

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 Hupé 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 Hupé 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