Colonialism and Geologic Collections: Re-Thinking How We Display Rocks and Minerals

Abstract:

Geology as a science has been deeply influenced by Western colonialism. Especially during the 1800s and early 1900s, when the core tenants of Geology were being developed, Western geologists made extensive use of colonial expeditions for transport, access, data, and -- critically -- specimens. Those specimens were sent from colonized lands around the world to centralized collections in Europe and European settler states, forming repositories of spectacularly diverse minerals, rocks, and fossils that geologists could draw on without having to leave their home country. These collections, expanding from Renaissance curiosity cabinets, provided significant fuel to the development of Geology as a science during the 1800s and early 1900s. As curators of these collections today, how do we recognize the human cost and human histories of our specimens? How do we reflect on the continued legacy of colonization that we see today in our collections, our histories, and our field? This presentation will examine how the Bryn Mawr Mineral Collection is approaching curation and display of rock and mineral specimens that embody colonial histories.