Mar 082016
 

Crown Office, 25 Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LA

phrenology museumUntil 1886 this was the site of Edinburgh’s phrenological museum, founded by the president of the Edinburgh Phrenological Society, George Combes. Phrenologists believed that people’s characters were determined by the development of the ‘organs’ of the brain, which could by read by examining the shapes of their skulls. It represented an early attempt to explain the human mind in terms of the physical structure of the brain. The carved stone heads on the exterior of the building reflected its occupants interest in the shapes of people’s craniums.

No public access.

V0001202 George Combe. Stipple engraving by C. H. Jeens, 1878, after Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org George Combe. Stipple engraving by C. H. Jeens, 1878, after Sir D. Macnee. 1878 By: Daniel MacNeeafter: Charles Henry JeensPublished: - Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

George Combe (1788–1848).

L0022893 George Combe, names of phrenological organs, 1836 Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org Names of the phrenological organs Outlines of phrenology George A. Combe Published: 1836 Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The phrenological organs, from George Combe, Outlines of Phrenology (1836).

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  5 Responses to “Phrenological Museum”

  1. Do you know when it was built?
    I am having great trouble finding out.
    It says in one source that they used funds left by William Hunter, but not when the building was erected!
    Any help much appreciated.
    Wynyard Wilkinson F.S.A.Scot

  2. I realise I am coming to this a bit late, but Historic Environment Scotland have it listed as being built in 1875-77. Full record here: http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB27981

  3. hello,
    would it be possible to know who are the sculpted faces on the window? thank you

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