The Miniature Coffin of Captain Cook

Famous circumnavigator Captain James Cook played a profound role in world history. Cook was killed in Hawai'i after he aroused the ire of King Kalaniopu'u and his people but they still regarded him as a powerful chief whose bones were potent sources of mana, or spiritual power.

A remarkable artifact owned by the State Library of New South Wales in Australia confirms that Cook’s men also venerated his mortal remains. This small, intricately-carved coffin was created by an anonymous craftsman on Cook’s ship, the HMS Resolution, during the return journey from Hawai’i to Britain.
State Library of New South Wales

State Library of New South Wales
The tiny coffin features a number of striking details: the top lid swivels open in two pieces, revealing a watercolor painting of Cook's death on the beach and, below that, a lock of his hair.
Read the story at The Appendix

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