Die “James Hall‐Sammlung” in Keyworth

Abstract

Toward the end of the 18th century, the Scottish geologist James Hall (1761-1832) carried out a series of experiments. They were designed to explore the genesis of rock formations in connection with the controversy between "neptunism" and "volcanism". These experiments are documented in a museum collection that is located today in the British Geological Survey headquarters in Keyworth near Nottingham. The collection consists of ca. 250-300 individual items and includes samples of Hall's experiments and experimental equipment, as well as several of the original rock specimens that had belonged to him. This article provides a short description of that collection.