Research Training Program

Kathryn Musica
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

William Billeck, Ph.D.
Supervising Scientist
Department of Anthropology

"This experience has helped guide my interests in anthropology and in what I would like to spend my life studying."

NMNH or Bust — Museum Sculptures of Native Americans

This research addresses the origin and subjects of the Native American busts housed in the Anthropology Department at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and the Museum Support Center. The busts are plaster casts that display the facial features, hair, and shoulders of individuals. These busts were made between 1870s and 1930s. Facemask molds, head measurements, and photographs taken of several hundred living individuals from throughout the world were used by sculptors to create the busts. Research was conducted to ascertain all possible background information on the Native American busts, and more specifically on the Cheyenne, Blackfoot, Crow, and Osage Tribe busts. The original accession data, catalogue cards, ledgers, personal correspondence, and Smithsonian publications such as the Annual Report and the Proceedings of the US National Museum were searched for information about the field collection or museum manufacturing of the facemasks and busts. The busts and facemasks themselves were examined for any markings or details, such as the individual’s name and tribe, to verify the museum records. Photos taken of the individuals at the time that the facemasks were made were used to link the busts, molds, casts, names, and pictures together for a complete integrated record of the individual. Digital photographs were taken to share the images of the bust with the descendants of the subjects and tribal representatives and for use on a future website.

This research was supported by a grant from the University of Notre Dame NMNH Internship in Anthropology.

Letter of gratitude