Posted on: 12 May 2013

Photograph by Carl W.Damman from the Anthropological and Ethnologies Album of Asia, 1873, Germany.

Individual images are based on a frontal portrait and profile to highlight a Panjabi Sikh, a Parsi male from Bombay, a bare chested male from Tranquebar in Southern India, and a frontal portrait of a male with his hair in a bun from the Bearer caste, Southern India.

Copyright: © V&A Images


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The limitations of early colonial anthropology is understandable. But when you post it in the present day, shouldn't you indicate that thes categorisations are arbitrary; that 'Punjabi Sikh' or Parsi are not castes neither tribes.

Narration corrected.

I think that's understood by today's readers.

This has a very specimen like treatment of the subject. Have problems with the gaze.

Thanks; my comment was in the spirit of your efforts at looking back AT rare & forgotten treasures, rather than look THROUGH their eyes.

Well put...but then, RBSI essentially tries to present a "look THROUGH their eyes". It is for this reason we refrain from posting our opinions and let the book and the print with the original narration speak for itself.

of course it does Yuvraj D sir - consider the source. RBSociety is presenting the originals, not the evolved versions