Carving of a Zimbabwe Bird, 1957 (c)

Polished redwood, carved into the form of a bird of prey resting on a plinth.

The carving was presented to the 1st King's African Rifles by the indunas or chiefs of the Matabele tribe in Bulawayo, in 1957 (c).

The Zimbabwe Bird is a national emblem of Zimbabwe and its design derives from a number of soapstone sculptures found in the ruins of the city of Great Zimbabwe, the capital of a kingdom active from the 11th to the 15th century. The bird represented is thought to be the bateleur eagle.