[ANTHROPOLOGY]. ZIMMERMANN, Eberhardt August Wilhelm von. Ge - Lot 6

[ANTHROPOLOGY]. ZIMMERMANN, Eberhardt August Wilhelm von. Geographical Zoology. First Article: Man. The original French edition, printed on heavy paper, of one of the earliest studies on the geographical distribution of mammals. Cassel, De l'Imprimerie française de Cassel, 1784. In-12, blue Bradel-style cardboard binding, smooth spine decorated with three gold fillets and a gilt title. 1 blank folio - XX - 258 pp. (page numbering begins on p. 7). Spine and edges of the covers sun-faded; signs of wear with a small tear at the bottom; some foxing on the margins. French first edition of the study “Specimen Zoologiae Geographicae Quadrupedum,” first printed in Leipzig in 1778. Zimmermann (1743–1815), a pioneering German geographer and zoologist in this field, sets forth his theory of the common origin of humanity. According to him, primitive man lived in the highlands of Central Asia. There, they multiplied, giving rise to families that subsequently migrated in different directions, forming colonies. The influence of the climate gradually altered their physical characteristics: skin color, height, etc. This dispersal is thought to have occurred in four distinct waves, explaining Linnaeus’s four groups. A fresh copy on heavy paper.