Orang-outang, sive Homo Sylvestris, or, The anatomy of a pygmie

Originally published in 1699, Edward Tyson’s Orang-outang, sive Homo Sylvestris is widely regarded as a foundational text in the field of comparative anatomy. Tyson, a physician and scientist, performed a detailed dissection of a juvenile chimpanzee—which he mistakenly identified as a pygmy—to examine the physiological similarities between non-human primates and humans. The work was intended to bridge the perceived gap between the animal kingdom and mankind, providing a rigorous, empirical approach to biological classification that was remarkably advanced for the late seventeenth century.

This 1966 edition published by Dawsons is a notable facsimile reprint that made this rare and significant scientific milestone accessible to a new generation of historians and researchers. By reproducing the original text and its detailed anatomical illustrations, the edition honors the legacy of Tyson’s work, which helped define the study of primatology. Dawsons focused on preserving the integrity of the original plates, which famously depicted the subject in an upright, human-like posture, reflecting the specific anatomical inquiries of the Enlightenment era.