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For thousands of years the inner workings of the body have provoked fascination, confusion, amazement and even disgust. This site looks at the way different cultures, at various points in history, have looked at the body, and how these ideas have been translated into pictures. Click on the links below to explore all sorts of bodily curiosities.

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Medieval astrology


Zodiac man
 
 

Astrologers believed that the movements of the stars influenced 

the inner workings of the human body

Astrology Gallery.
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Acupuncture


Chinese acupuncture chart
 
 

Acupuncture Gallery.
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Vitruvius's theories of beauty


The perfect proportions
 
 

Vitruvius gallery.
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Vesalius's Renaissance anatomy lessons


Vesalius's muscle man
 
 

Anatomical Drawings.
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Ruysch's anatomical curiosities


Crying skeletons with violin, feathers and fly
 
 

Gallery of Curiosities.
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Victorian freak shows


Harvey's Midgets
 
 

Freak Show Gallery.
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Roentgen's discovery of the x-ray


19th century x-ray
 
 

X-ray Gallery.
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Fritz Kahn's body machines


The nervous system
 
 

Gallery of Machines.
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Kundalini yoga


Kundalini yoga
 
 

Yoga Gallery.
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Activities


Activity 1. Bodies of Knowledge


Activity 2. Bodies of belief