Phrenology

Today I was late to class, so I missed the research period, but I was able to listen to the findings of my classmates. The L.N. Fowler Phrenology bust was a replica of the original busts which was shown by the bust being hollow as opposed to solid as the originals were. The phrenology bust that we had available to us today would be a secondary source because it was a replica, not an original, and it is not useful as a primary source to us in this situation. It lacks accuracy because the busts were created in the 19th century and since then, the study of the brain has been further analyzed and studied. The bottom of the replica bust said Oregon which told us it could be no older than 1859 because that's when Oregon became a state. The cracking in the glaze showed that it had not been made recently, but definitely was not an antique. I learned that a source can be primary or secondary based on the context in which it is being used. Although the information the phrenology bust provides is not completely accurate, some aspects are, such as: the idea that different portions of the brain control different functions.

Provenance- (noun) the place of origin or earliest known history of something; a record of ownership of a work of art or an antique, used as a guide to authenticity or quality; the beginning of something's existence; something's origin

Phrenology- (noun) the detailed study of the shape and size of the cranium as a supposed indication of character and mental abilities