Re: Any thoughts?

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-- [ From: Timothy Mason * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

>From : Timothy Mason
(mason@cie.fr)

Western fascination with and attempts to account for steatopygy are nothing
new. Stephen J. Gould writes of the 'Hottentot Venus' in his collection,
'The Flamingo's Smile'. Saartjie was brought over from Southern Africa to be
exhibited in European capitals in 1810. She died in 1815, when she was
dissected by Cuvier - no nonsense about returning the body to grieving
relatives here.
According to Gould, her main attraction was her buttocks, and Cuvier was
able to demonstrate that these were composed of fat. He was, apparently,
even more excited about the (to European eyes, unusual) form of her genitals
, which he preserved in a jar and presented to the Academy. It is now
preserved in the Musie de l'Homme - just above Paul Broca's brain.

Best wishes
Timothy Mason

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