Description (Labels & Markings)
Museum exhibition label written in cursive script 'Wooden Cock Benin'. Written on on a recycled piece of card originally used as Museum stationary.

Appears to be an invitation to an event on 6th October with Captain R.G.B --- as chairman, Archdeacon --- as a speaker and Colonel G.E.C--- as registrar of the National ---.
Event Date
Author: rachel hand

Context (Field collection)
Presumed to have been taken during the British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, 1897, as Webster became the pre-eminent dealer in looted Benin material
Event Date 2/1897
Author: rachel hand

Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card notes: "A bird (?'cock') carved in wood, standing on an oval base and having a spike on its back."

Event Date 1904
Author: maa

Description (Labels & Markings)
Writtein in white under the base of the tail '1835' [encircled] and '11443' [Webster nos]
Event Date 1904
Author: rachel hand

Description (Labels & Markings)
Old handwritten museum paper label notes 'E. 1904.373/ Cock (carved wood)/ Benin/ (Webster Sale Nov 30th)/ * Rev. Charles Taylor, D.D. 1904.
Event Date 1904
Author: rachel hand

Context (Related Documents)
Catalogue card reads, in black biro: "1904 E 373 | AFRICA | WEST AFRICA / NIGERIA / A BIRD (?turkey) carved in wood, standing on an oval base and having a spike on its back. H 10.7" / Benin / purchased Webster's Sale 1904 / Rev. C. Taylor's donation | R. 1905 772"

In second hand, black biro: "The spike serves as a support for a horn or tusk. Fowls, such as this, were placed on a shrine in the memory of the maternal ancestor of the owner."

In third hand, blue biro, "turkey" has been crossed out: "cock."

Red circular sticker in bottom right of card.
Event Date 1904
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Acquisition Details)
Purchased from William Downing Webster in 1904 with money ascribed the Museum’s Accession Fund by Reverend Charles Taylor D.D., (1840-1908), Hebraist and Master of St John’s College
Event Date 1904
Author: maa

Context (References)
Illustrated in M. Elliott and N. Thomas (2011) Gifts and Discoveries, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, Scala Publishers with Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, p, 22.
Caption notes:
'A wooden bird from a royal shine
height 27.2cm
Edo: Benin City
southern Nigeria
Purchased at Webster's sale, 1904
E 1904.373'


Event Date 2011
Author: Rachel Hand

Context (Amendments / updates)
Photograph attached to rear of catalogue card.
On rear of photograph in blue biro: "1904.373 BENIN / NIGERIA"
Event Date 27/8/2020
Author: Katrina Dring

Description (Physical description)
A cockerel carved in wood with line and chevron decoration. There are the remains of red pigment /earth throughout. The bird stands on an oval base with a vertical spike on its back.
Event Date 15/10/2021
Author: rachel hand

Context (Other)
One of 99 objects on deposit from the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Nigeria (pending a physical return to Nigeria).
Event Date 27/1/2026
Author: Jan-Henrik Hartung

Context (Other owners)
In July 2022, the University of Cambridge agreed to repatriate 116 artefacts, including this object, taken from Benin City by the British military in February 1897. A legal transfer of ownership to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria, took place on 27 January 2026.
The source field has been updated accordingly.
Event Date 27/1/2026
Author: Jan-Henrik Hartung