Classroom Drawing of Volcanoes in the Earth's Crust, Orra White Hitchcock

Orra White Hitchcock created this large illustration of the earth's crust with volcanoes for her husband Edward to use in his natural history classes at Amherst College. Scientists understood that magma seethed beneath the Earth's crust, but knew little of how far down magma chambers went or anything about the composition of the center of the Earth. 

Creator:

Orra White Hitchcock

Date:

1828-1840

Materials:

pen and ink on linen

Courtesy of:

Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers, Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library