Abstract

ZERPA RODRIGUEZ, José Julio. American obsidian in European and Hispanic American volcanic explorations (1735-1799). Let. hist. [online]. 2016, n.14, pp.51-86. ISSN 2448-8372.

In the history of the development of Geology as a modern European science, between 1750 and 1830, as a norm, Latin-American perspectives on volcanic processes are not taken into consideration. A possible way to begin to integrate part of this knowledge would be to draw on the circulation of people, ideas and materials, between the New and the Old World. The focus of the study will be American obsidian, a volcanic rock, situated in the middle of a scientific debate about the genesis of Earth, from 1735 to 1799. In this way, scientific and specialized exchanges, in both directions, could be reviewed, during a stage of Earth Science´s consolidation.

Keywords : History of Science; Vulcanology; Latin America; eighteenth century; obsidian.