Auction Finds ~ Phrenology Head

Recently I was happy to come across this phrenology head, and although it is not an original 1800's head, but rather a (probably mid century) reproduction, I still felt confident listing it at a starting price of  R350 ($25).

Phrenology was a popular pseudo science during the early 1800's. It was developed by Franz Joseph Gall. The science involved taking measurements of certain parts of the skull to see which personality traits were dominant in the subject of the study. Certain parts of the brain were said to correspond with the attributes of the individual, as you can see in the pictures of the head I have for sale.

This pseudo science emphasised racism and sexism, by demonstrating the prominence of different areas of the brain in men and women, as well as the different races. But it also allowed for the idea of rehabilitation, especially of wayward children and criminals, as well as non-Europeans, by developing the parts of the brain that needed working on by means of certain exercises. Phrenology formed the basis of much of psychology during that period.