The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Musei Petiveriani centuria prima [-decima], rariora naturæ continens: viz. animalia, fossilia, plantas, ex variis mundi plagis advecta, ordine digesta, et nominibus propriis signata. A Jacobo Petiver
Secondary Title (i.e. Proceedings Title): Periodical Title: Publication Type:Book, Whole Authors:Petiver,JamesEditors: Publisher:ex officina S. Smith & B. Walford Place of Publication:Londini Publication Date:1695-1703 Alternate Date (i.e. Conference Date): Volume: Issue: Start Page: End Page: Abstract: Descriptors/Keywords: ISBN: URL:http://library.usask.ca/scripts/remote?URL=http://galenet.galegroup.com.cyber.usask.ca/servlet/ECCO?c=1&stp=Author&ste=11&af=BN&ae=T115608&tiPG=1&dd=0&dc=flc&docNum=CW107337716&vrsn=1.0&srchtp=a&d4=0.33&n=10&SU=0LRM&locID=usaskmain
Documents in Print Item: No Documents Listed in Print Item Attached People: Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Petiver, James (c. 1665-Apr 1718)
Mentions or references - Sherard, William (27 Feb 1658/9-11 Aug 1728)
Mentions or references - Vernon, William (1666/7-c.1715?)
Mentions or references - Scampton, John (-fl. c. 1699)
Mentions or references - Halsteed, William (-fl. c. 1703)
Mentions or references - Pool, Thomas (-fl. c. 1710)
Location(s): Mentioned - The White Cross (sign) (Commercial establishment) -> Aldersgate Street (Address)
Mentioned - Johor (Region) -> Malaysia (Country)
Bibliographic Source(s): No Bibliographic Sources Attached To This Item
Items Which List This As A Bibliographic Source: None Images Contained: No Images Attached To This Item
Objects Contained: No Objects Attached To This Item
Annotation:A serial publication of specimens in Petiver's collection, issued one "century" at a time, totalling 1,000 specimens. Toward the end of his eighth century, Petiver references his Gazophylacii Naturae & Artis, which he began publishing in 1702, and reproduces on pages 78 and 79 the caption description for the first two "tables" of illustrations. Gazophylacii appears to be a more digested, and illustrated, second run at an account of his collection begun in Musei Petiveriani, which presents very much as a work in progress. For example, he lists at the end of the eighth century objects that he had acquired since his publication of the fourth and fifth centuries (79-81).
The precise status of these objects in his collection (whether a physical presence or a trace in the form of his record of it) is left uncertain by Petiver's "Advertisement" to his first century:
This Century consisting of such Animals, Vegetables, Fossils, &c. as have been either observed by my self, or communicated to me not only from many Very Worthy and Learned Assistants at Home, but also brought me by my Kind Friends from divers parts of the World, or transmitted from such Curious Persons as do me the Honour to Correspond with me from several parts Abroad: I thought my self highly obliged to acknowledg them as my Generous Benefactors; And designing to continue the Publishing of these Centuries as my Philosophical Acquaintance and Correspondents Abroad and at Home shall enrich me; I do therefore most humbly beg the Communications and Assistance of all Curious Persons and Lovers of Natural History, the which shall be justly and faithfully acknowledged. And if there be any thing in this or the following Centuries which they shall desire to be farther inform'd of, I shall endeavour to serve them in that or what else is in [my] ... Power" (15).It seems, though, that his "observation" is part of the collection process, and that the objects themselves were "communicated" by some contributors domestically in the same way that they were "brought" by others abroad. Also of note here is the way in which Petiver enlist other "curious" persons to participate in this project of citizen science.