Anthropological Museum- Amalia

I found the anthropological museum to be extremely eye opening.  This museum embodied the idea of studying humans from a naturalistic point of view.  Most of the articles of clothing and accessories represented the bond between humans and their environment. For starters, my favorite item in the museum was the Elk Dreamer Society Leggings from North and South Dakota in the late 19^th century. These leggings were made from the hooves of an elk and appeared to be knee length. The lining of the “leggings” was red, which may have symbolized that they belonged to the chief of a tribe. This article of clothing allowed humans to be one with their environment and embody the animal of which they were wearing.

Another fascinating part of the museum showed a man riding on top of a horse with a spear in hand. Not only does the rider have an intense and powerful face, but he is wearing an elaborate dress with red and black accents. This might mean he had an important role in his society and carried a high duty. His garments match the garments of the horse, also exemplifying the idea of man and animal interactions. The man and the horse must work together in order to achieve their goal, whether it be killing another person or protecting his land.

The last part of the museum I walked to was the room with the facial plaster casts.  These casts represented human variability. They were taken from humans with different facial features and portrayed the different morphologies of humans. At the museum, the individual casts were lined up against a wall. It was extremely interesting to note the difference between each individual cast.  Some humans were darker skinned than others, some had larger noses or larger eyes. This part of the museum showed the diversity within humans, despite the articles of clothing they may be wearing.