The Human Zoo, II: Humans as Exhibits in Zoos and "Zoological Gardens"

JF Ptak Science Books LLC  Post 252

This image comes from the Illustrirte Zeitung (Leipzig), and was printed 6 September 1879 (issue No. 1888).
The caption reads:                                                                                                                                                         

This is the second in a slight series on human beings exhibited in zoos--I wrote earlier on them here, and quote the introductory for this print:

 

"Human ignorance in observing differences among different societies and races has always been a burgeoning, expanding, sub-intelligent subset of other human stupidities, frailties and incapacities.  Sometimes these are exhibited liberally and freely, and stupidly; other times it is difficult to see, vile, menially, sub-rosa, and thoughtfully thoughtless."

"These prejudices been spectacularly exhibited in many ways over the centuries—forced immigration, complete removals, ethnic cleansing, concentration camps, slavery, expulsion, legal intolerance, and so on; an entire library can be filled with this stuff.  Sometimes people were gathered together and moved far away; other times they were gathered together and removed into compounds right in the middle of cities in which they lived (as in ghettos, antiquarian “hospitals” and the creation of the more modern asylum, and so on)..."

This second illustration is from two years later and displays "Nubnier" (Nubians, I think referring to people from southern Egypt and northern Sudan) in various poses as seen in the Dresden Zoological Garden.  The Africans were on display there, perhaps exhibited as exotic remnants of ancient kingdoms, or something,  showing them in a war dance, riding horses, in fake conflict, working a loom, goldsmithing, and in a caravan, complete with giraffes (?) and a baby elephant (??).  All I guess made "good gate" for the owners of the zoo.