Cabinets of Curiosities

We saw a salamander, a chameleon, a pelican, a remora, a lanhado from Africa, a white partridge, a goose on a tree, a flying squirrel, another squirrel like a fish, all kinds of bright coloured birds from India, a number of things changed into stone, amongst others a piece of human flesh on a bone, gourds, olives, a piece of wood, an ape's head, a cheese,all kinds of shells, the hand of a mermaid, the hand of a mummy, a very natural wax hand under glass, all kinds of precious stones, coins, a picture wrought in feathers, a small piece of wood from the cross of Christ...

a description by a German traveller, Georg Christoph Stirn, of The collection of curiosities formed by John Tradescant reflecting the wide range of objects that could be found in 'rooms of wonder'.