Anthropology Honors Theses

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Through Athena's Eyes: The William Henry Sage Collection of Casts
Hume, Hannah Claire Martin (2014-05)
This Anthropology honors thesis combines Anthropology, Archaeology, and Museum Studies to discusses the history and analyzes the importance of the William Henry Sage Collection of Casts, which was brought to Cornell University by A. D. White in the early 1890s and placed on display in 1894. The Cast Collection, some whose fragmented pieces reside in Goldwin Smith Hall to this day, was a pinnacle collection of the University and brought much fame and acclaim to the institution. However, it was never stagnant and saw many phases of reinterpretation and curation. Through such modification, each iteration of the collection was used to echo the educational mood and focus of the contemporary University. Interestingly, regardless of prominence, level of care, or mode of display, students throughout time have often developed personal relationships with the individual statues of the Cast Collection. They may fear or love the pieces, but most admit it all has something to do with looking through the statue's eyes.