Sheldonian Bust in Oxford, UK

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The Sheldonian in Oxford boasts a perimeter defined by 13 square pillars topped with head-and-shoulder busts, marking its front edge. Officially known as "herms," these heads were initially described as "termains" and are also referred to as philosophers by some people. However, Max Beerbohm in Zuleika Dobson dubbed them "Emperors," a name that has stuck. Each head features a distinct type of beard. The current busts represent the third set; the original ones endured for 200 years but began to crumble by 1868, necessitating replacement. The second set was installed, only to be vandalized with paint by undergraduates, which made them prone to wear and tear during harsh cleaning. Consequently, they were described by John Betjeman in his verse autobiography Summoned by Bells as "the mouldering busts round the Sheldonian" when he attended the university in 1925. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative spearheaded by MyMiniFactory to create a digital repository of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and wish to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.