ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

Re-discovering Robert Jameson's (1774-1854) Last Mineral Collection

• In Event: Stratigraphy, Deep Time, and the Making of Geological Knowledge 1

English Abstract

Robert Jameson (1774–1854),was the third Regius Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh, whose substantial additions to the university museum form the foundation of the Natural Science collections at the present-day National Museums Scotland. He was an internationally acclaimed mineralogist. Despite his prominence and public funeral, much of his academic legacy was lost by the 21st century.
Through careful investigation, just over half of his final systematic mineral collection has been recovered. The specimens reveal their diverse origins, the quality and style of Jameson’s work, and his methods of display. They also enable reconstruction of his classification system, representing the last remnants of an approach based on external characteristics, just as Dana-style internal chemical classification was emerging.
Following Jameson’s death, shifts in classification systems and the transfer of specimens to non-specialist custodians contributed to the collection’s partial loss. This study presents the discovery, reconstruction, and enduring legacy of Jameson’s final systematic mineral collection, offering insight into the transition from traditional to recent mineral classification practices.

Author

• Rachel Walcott, National Museums Scotland