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Captain James Cook

Also known as: Captain James Cook; primary name: Cook, James
Details: individual; military/naval; British; Male
Life dates: 1728-1779
Biography: English sailor and explorer; RN; FRS; surveyed the St. Lawrence River and the coast of Newfoundland 1763-1767; first voyage to New Zealand and eastern coast of Australia 1768-1771; second voyage to circumnavigate at high latitudes and explore Antarctica 1772-1775; third voyage 1776-1780 in search of a Northwest Passage around Canada and Alaska. This was completed after his death. Cook was killed during a conflict on 14th February 1779, on his third voyage, at Kealakekua Bay, on Hawaii Island, the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Hawaiian tradition says that he was killed by a chief named Kalanimanokahoowaha or Kanaina. Cook's body underwent funerary rituals similar to those reserved for the chiefs and highest elders of the society. The body was disembowelled, flesh was removed and his bones were carefully cleaned for preservation. Some of Cook's remains were eventually returned to Britain for a formal burial at sea following an appeal by the crew.
Bibliography: Adrienne L. Kaeppler and Robert Fleck, 'James Cook and the Exploration of the Pacific', Thames & Hudson, 2009

759 related objects

Museum number: 2008,4186.1 |
Authority: BIOG184112 Issuer:Adelaide Exchange Jewellers |
Production date: 1996 |
Production place: Issued in:Adelaide

adze; blade

Museum number: Oc,NZ.153 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

adze

Museum number: Oc1878,1101.589 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

adze; blade

Museum number: Oc,TAH.126 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

adze

Museum number: Oc1878,1101.590 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

adze

Museum number: Oc,TAH.88 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

animal remains

Museum number: Oc1994,01.83 |
Production date: 1950s

apron; dance-dress; skirt

Museum number: Oc,TAH.114 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tahiti

armlet

Museum number: Oc,HAW.156 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

atlatl; spear thrower

Museum number: Am1978,Q.12 |
Ethnic group: Made by:PacificMade by:Eskimo-Aleut |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Prince William Sound

awl

Museum number: Oc.9956 |
Production date: 18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Mangaia

axe

Museum number: Oc1854,1229.20 |
Ethnic group: x83343 Made by:British |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

axe

Museum number: Oc.9957 |
Production date: 18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Mangaia

bag

Museum number: Oc,TAH.54 |
Ethnic group: x106848 Made by:Tongan |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

bag

Museum number: Am,NWC.21 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1770s |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

bag

Museum number: Am,NWC.14 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Northwest Coast PeoplesMade by:Aleut |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:USA

bailer

Museum number: Oc,NZ.123 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 1700-1771 |
Production place: Made in:East Coast (New Zealand) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

bailer

Museum number: Oc,TAH.6 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tahiti

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1896,1012.3 |
Ethnic group: x108436 Made by:Society Islander |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc,HAW.1 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc,HAW.2 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1971,05.4 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1896,1012.1 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaiian Islands

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1896,1012.2 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaiian Islands

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1971,05.3 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1971,05.5 |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:Hawaii |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

barkcloth

Museum number: Oc,HAW.3 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

barkcloth-beater

Museum number: Am,NWC.48 |
Ethnic group: x93067 Made by:Californian Peoples |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Santa Barbara

barkcloth-beater

Museum number: Am,NWC.47 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

barkcloth-beater

Museum number: Oc,TAH.20 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

basket

Museum number: Oc1977,Q.8 |
Ethnic group: x106848 Made by:Tongan |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:Tonga |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

basket

Museum number: Oc1977,Q.7 |
Ethnic group: x106848 Made by:Tongan |
Production date: 1750-1800 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

bead

Museum number: Oc.9958 |
Production date: 18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Mangaia

bead

Museum number: Oc.9959 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Mangaia

belt

Museum number: Oc,NZ.132 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC(mid)-18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

belt

Museum number: Oc,NZ.131 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC(mid)-18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

belt

Museum number: Oc,NZ.128 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: late 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

book; barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1903,-.147.a |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Oceania

book; barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1903,-.147.c |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Oceania

book; barkcloth

Museum number: Oc1903,-.147.b |
Producer name: BIOG221894 Published by:Alexander Shaw |
Production date: 1787 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Oceania

boot

Museum number: Am1978,Q.38.a-b |
Ethnic group: Made by:ChukchiMade by:Siberian Yupik |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Alaska (state)

bottle; vessel

Museum number: Oc,HAW.51 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

bow

Museum number: Am,NWC.87 |
Ethnic group: x90573 Made by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Alaska (state)

bow

Museum number: Am,NWC.86 |
Ethnic group: x90573 Made by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1780s |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Alaska (state)

bowl; food-trough

Museum number: Oc,TAH.4 |
Ethnic group: x108436 Made by:Society Islander |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tahiti

bowl

Museum number: Am,NWC.9 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

bowl

Museum number: Am1971,05.1 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

bowl

Museum number: Am,NWC.13 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Northwest Coast PeoplesMade by:Chugach |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Prince William Sound

box

Museum number: Oc,NZ.109.a |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:Bay of Islands |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

box

Museum number: Oc,NZ.113.a |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:WanganuiMade in:Poverty Bay |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Poverty Bay

bracelet

Museum number: Oc,HAW.157 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:Hawaii |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

breast-ornament

Museum number: Oc,NZ.159 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:New Zealand |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

breast-plate

Museum number: Oc1982,Q.874 |
Production date: 18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

bucket

Museum number: Oc1978,Q.836.a |
Production date: 1750-1799 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

cameo

Museum number: 1915,0608.19 |
Producer name: BIOG68368 Made by:Derby Porcelain Factory |
Production place: Made in:Derby (Derbyshire)

cape

Museum number: Am,NWC.50 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

cape

Museum number: Oc1978,Q.841 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

cape

Museum number: Oc,VAN.234 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

chisel

Museum number: Oc,NZ.101 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

cloak

Museum number: Oc,NZ.135 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

cloak

Museum number: Oc,NZ.137 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:New Zealand |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

cloak

Museum number: Oc,HAW.133 |
Ethnic group: x110469 Made by:Hawaiian |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:Hawaii |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

cloak

Museum number: Oc,NZ.125 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: mid 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

cloak

Museum number: Am,NWC.49 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

club

Museum number: Oc1978,Q.838 |
Ethnic group: x108435 Made by:Marquesan |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Marquesas Islands

club; tool/implement; musical instrument

Museum number: Am,NWC.43 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

club; replica

Museum number: Oc1936,0206.1 |
Producer name: BIOG130400 Workshop of:Mrs Eleanor Gyles |
Production date: 1772 |
Production place: Original from:New ZealandMade in:London (England)

club; tomahawk

Museum number: Am,NWC.99 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.40 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

club

Museum number: Oc,St.852 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:OwhyheeFound/Acquired:Tonga

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.97 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.38 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.37 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

club

Museum number: Oc,NZ.91 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC(mid) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.39 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

club

Museum number: Oc,NZ.80 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

club

Museum number: Oc.9006 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production place: Made in:New Zealand |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

club

Museum number: Oc,St.827 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.42 |
Ethnic group: Made by:Nuu-chah-nulthMade by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Nootka Sound

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.100 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

club

Museum number: Oc1979,Q.846 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

club

Museum number: Am1949,22.239 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Production date: 1780s |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Canada

club

Museum number: Oc,St.852.a |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:TongaFound/Acquired:Owhyhee

club

Museum number: Oc,St.851 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:OwhyheeFound/Acquired:Tonga

club

Museum number: Am,NWC.98 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

club

Museum number: Oc1932,1008.1.a |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tonga

coin

Museum number: 2006,1101.38 |
Authority: BIOG69033 Ruler:HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom |
Production date: 1994 |
Production place: Issued in:Cook Islands

coin

Museum number: 2014,4162.1 |
Authority: BIOG69033 Ruler:HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom |
Production date: 2006 |
Production place: Issued in:New Zealand

comb

Museum number: Am,NWC.104 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

comb

Museum number: Am,NWC.101 |
Ethnic group: x90573 Made by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Alaska (state)

comb

Museum number: Oc,NZ.163 |
Ethnic group: x84234 Made by:Māori |
Production date: 18thC |
Production place: Made in:New Zealand |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:New Zealand

comb

Museum number: Am,NWC.103 |
Ethnic group: x90573 Made by:Northwest Coast Peoples |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

comb

Museum number: Am,NWC.105 |
Ethnic group: x90083 Made by:Nuu-chah-nulth |
Production date: 1780 |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:North America

component

Museum number: Oc2004,06.2.b |
Production date: 1750-1850 |
Production place: Made in:Hawaii |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

component

Museum number: Oc2004,06.2.a |
Production date: 1750-1850 |
Production place: Made in:Hawaii |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

cord

Museum number: Oc,TAH.56 |
Ethnic group: x108436 Made by:Society Islander |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Society IslandsFound/Acquired:Tahiti

cord

Museum number: Oc,TAH.40 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tahiti

cord

Museum number: Oc,HAW.55 |
Production date: 18thC |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Hawaii

costume; apron

Museum number: Oc,TAH.78.g |
Ethnic group: x84916 Made by:Tahitian |
Production date: 18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tahiti

costume; mask

Museum number: Oc,TAH.78.c |
Ethnic group: x84916 Made by:Tahitian |
Production date: 18thC(late) |
Findspot: Found/Acquired:Tahiti

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