| Summary: | The Oxford Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) has been in the collections of the
University of Oxford since 1683, first in the Ashmolean Museum and latterly in
Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Prior to this the specimen was
part of the collections of the Tradescants, father and son, and likely acquired
between 1634 and 1656, in the Musæum Tradescantianum in what is now
Vauxhall, south London. It has been thought probable that this specimen was
once the live bird recorded in London by Sir Hamon L’Estrange in around 1638,
but X-ray CT scanning of the skull for anatomical investigation has cast doubt on
the provenance of the Oxford Dodo. The 3D visualisation revealed 115 metal
particles embedded within the bone of the skull, concentrated in the left side of
the skull. All but 5 of the particles are less than 1 mm in diameter and their
location leads to the conclusion that they represent lead shot consistent with the
bird being shot from the rear right of the head, perhaps with a ventral component.
This forensic discovery leaves the provenance of the Oxford specimen uncertain
but illustrates the value of non-invasive visualisation techniques in determining
the potentially complex histories of unique museum objects.
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