Crystallography and the geometric modelling of minerals: a reflection on the models in the Natural History Museum, London

Abstract

The fascination to mankind of natural crystals must have started at the dawn of civilisation, but collectors only started to look at them in a scientific way during the 16th century. Even so it was not until the 18th century, when crystallographic knowledge had advanced sufficiently, that crystallographers began to make models of individual crystals, primarily for teaching. After a brief historical survey, extant examples in the National Collection and the materials used in their construction, are discussed, as well as some aspects of the backgrounds of those who made them and their reasons for doing so.