Skip to main content
Object Number
67-1-50/57477.2
Display Title
Cast of Sturmann's head
Descriptions
Object Description
This cast of Sturmann's head was made from a mold taken at the time of his death. In 1860, seventeen-year old Sturmann, was one of five indigenous South Africans brought to Boston for public exhibition at the Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens (endorsed by Louis Agassiz from Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology). After being on public display for six months, Sturmann died by suicide. His body was measured and dissected by Jeffries Wyman, then Hersey Professor of Anatomy at Harvard College and later the first director of the Peabody Museum, for the purposes of race science (Report of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery 2022, pp. 36-37, https://legacyofslavery.harvard.edu/report).
Classification
- Unclassified
Department
Osteological
Culture
- Khoikhoi
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
Africa
/
South Africa?
Additional Geographic Terms
South
Materials
Plaster
Dimensions
Overall: 33.5 × 27 × 24 cm (13 3/16 × 10 5/8 × 9 7/16 in.)
Quantity
1
Label on object
67-1-50/57477.0.2
Important Note about Historical Language
Collections records may contain language, reflecting past collecting practices and methods of analysis, that is no longer acceptable. The Peabody Museum is committed to addressing the problem of offensive and discriminatory language present in its database. Our museum staff are continually updating these records, adding to and improving content. We welcome your feedback and any questions or concerns you may want to share. Please email us with your comments.
