5:15 PM - 6:45 PM
[MZZ41-P04] "The Geologic Structure" drawn by Joseph Hardy Neesima
Keywords:Joseph Hardy Neesima, John Morris, Thomas Webster, geologic cross-section
The founder of Doshisha, Joseph Hardy Neesima (1843–1890), studied Christian theology and natural sciences for about 10 years from the age of 22, mainly in New England. The geological specimens and natural science book collection at Doshisha show that he participated in geological excursions, collected mineral and rock specimens, and visited mines, and that he continued to be interested in geology and mineralogy after his return to Japan in November 1874. Although Neesima did not write extensively, a vast amount of his diaries, letters, drafts of speeches and sermons, etc. are collected in the 10-volume "The Complete Works of Joseph Hardy Neesima" (Dohosha, 1983–96), and major works can be read in three volumes in the Iwanami Bunko ("Jo Niijima’s Autobiography: Essays, Travel Notes, Diaries", "Jo Niijima’s Essays on Education and Religion", "Letters of Jo Niijima"). According to studies by Nagayasu Shimao (1986, 1989) and others, Neesima established natural science courses, including geology, at Doshisha English School founded in 1875, and then attempted to provide specialized education in mineralogy and geology at the Doshisha Harris Science School. Neesima's activities can be regarded as an attempt to introduce geology to Japan along a different path from those of Benjamin Lyman (who came to Japan in 1873) and Edmund Naumann (who came to Japan in 1875).
This presentation will introduce one of the articles left by Neesima in the Doshisha collection, a drawing titled "The Geologic Structure" (26.3 cm x 165 cm, date of production unknown). The diagram depicts the granites that form a large mountain range, the overlying Paleozoic to Mesozoic strata, the basalts that intruded them, the erupting volcanoes, and the sediments from the Tertiary and younger periods. The names of geological ages and strata on the cross-section are written in block letters, but some of the legends are written in a writing style that appears to be Neesima's handwriting. The dykes and some strata are colored, but most of the cross sections are left white. The name "ETNA" is marked on the erupting volcano.
A representative example of a nineteenth-century conceptual diagram depicting the large-scale structure of the earth's crust is the illustration that accompanied Buckland's 1836 book, “Geology and Mineralogy considered with reference to Natural Theology.” The diagram shows the correspondence between 120 types of plant and animal fossils and their geological system, and is said to have influenced many people, including Charles Darwin (1809–1882), as a powerful work that summarized the knowledge of the Earth's history at that time. Buckland's diagram is based on a schematic section of the European continent drawn by geologist Thomas Webster (1773–1844), and the topography and crustal structure shown here are similar to those of Neesima's. However, the different strata names and the absence of the description "ETNA" for the active volcano suggest that Neesima did not copy the Buckland diagram itself. In addition, a crustal cross-section based on Webster's diagram by John Morris (1810–1886) was published in London in 1858, and part of the description of this cross-section uses the name of a stratum unique to England. Including these, the strata names and legends in Neesima's figure are exactly the same as those of Morris, and the typeface and volcanic plumes are also similarly depicted. Comparing the two drawings, it looks like they were traced on thin sheets of paper.
It seems certain that "The Geological Structure" of Neesima is a copy of Morris's diagram, but it is unknown when and where it was drawn. However, we would like to point out the possibility of a contact between Neesima and Morris; Neesima accompanied Fujimaro Tanaka, a member of the Iwakura Mission, to Europe from April 1872 to September the following year. Morris was a professor of geology at University College in London from 1855 to 1977, and in 1866 he awarded a Japanese student, Yakichi Nomura (1843–1910), an honors master's degree in geology. Neesima's diary records a visit to University College on June 19, 1872, where he met Dairoku Kikuchi (1855–1917), who was studying mathematics and physics at Cambridge. I wonder if Neesima ever saw Morris's illustrations or expanded his knowledge of the geological science of the time on such an occasion. We look forward to further research on Neesima's interest in European Science and Technology.
This presentation will introduce one of the articles left by Neesima in the Doshisha collection, a drawing titled "The Geologic Structure" (26.3 cm x 165 cm, date of production unknown). The diagram depicts the granites that form a large mountain range, the overlying Paleozoic to Mesozoic strata, the basalts that intruded them, the erupting volcanoes, and the sediments from the Tertiary and younger periods. The names of geological ages and strata on the cross-section are written in block letters, but some of the legends are written in a writing style that appears to be Neesima's handwriting. The dykes and some strata are colored, but most of the cross sections are left white. The name "ETNA" is marked on the erupting volcano.
A representative example of a nineteenth-century conceptual diagram depicting the large-scale structure of the earth's crust is the illustration that accompanied Buckland's 1836 book, “Geology and Mineralogy considered with reference to Natural Theology.” The diagram shows the correspondence between 120 types of plant and animal fossils and their geological system, and is said to have influenced many people, including Charles Darwin (1809–1882), as a powerful work that summarized the knowledge of the Earth's history at that time. Buckland's diagram is based on a schematic section of the European continent drawn by geologist Thomas Webster (1773–1844), and the topography and crustal structure shown here are similar to those of Neesima's. However, the different strata names and the absence of the description "ETNA" for the active volcano suggest that Neesima did not copy the Buckland diagram itself. In addition, a crustal cross-section based on Webster's diagram by John Morris (1810–1886) was published in London in 1858, and part of the description of this cross-section uses the name of a stratum unique to England. Including these, the strata names and legends in Neesima's figure are exactly the same as those of Morris, and the typeface and volcanic plumes are also similarly depicted. Comparing the two drawings, it looks like they were traced on thin sheets of paper.
It seems certain that "The Geological Structure" of Neesima is a copy of Morris's diagram, but it is unknown when and where it was drawn. However, we would like to point out the possibility of a contact between Neesima and Morris; Neesima accompanied Fujimaro Tanaka, a member of the Iwakura Mission, to Europe from April 1872 to September the following year. Morris was a professor of geology at University College in London from 1855 to 1977, and in 1866 he awarded a Japanese student, Yakichi Nomura (1843–1910), an honors master's degree in geology. Neesima's diary records a visit to University College on June 19, 1872, where he met Dairoku Kikuchi (1855–1917), who was studying mathematics and physics at Cambridge. I wonder if Neesima ever saw Morris's illustrations or expanded his knowledge of the geological science of the time on such an occasion. We look forward to further research on Neesima's interest in European Science and Technology.