The ecology of chickens : an examination of the introduction of the domestic chicken across Europe after the Bronze Age
The domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus, or chicken, features as an important part of human society, culture and subsistence, both now and in the past. Despite studies into the origins and spread of many of the other domestic animals, the origins and nature of spread of the chicken west and into Europe has been largely neglected due to a lack of sufficient compiled evidence. It is widely accepted that chickens are descended from junglefowl in Asia and South East Asia, but more precise origins of the chicken are debated. As a bird with limited flight capability, the chicken has been transported worldwide by humans. Once the chicken arrived in Europe, very little attention has been given to the human-chicken interactions which governed its success, and enabled it to become permanently established in a region very different to where its ancestor originates- geographically, environmentally and culturally. This study compiles zooarchaeological evidence for the chicken across Europe, combines it with evidence from archaeology and anthropology, and takes the novel approach of applying ecological and biogeographical techniques. Such techniques complement traditional methods of archaeological assessment, and provide
Pitt, Jacqueline
The ecology of chickens : an examination of the introduction of the domestic chicken across Europe after the Bronze Age. The domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus, or chicken, features as an important part of human society, culture and subsistence, both now and in the past. Despite studies into the origins and spread of many of the other domestic animals, the origins and nature of spread of the chicken west and into Europe has been largely neglected due to a lack of sufficient compiled evidence. It is widely accepted that chickens are descended from junglefowl in Asia and South East Asia, but more precise origins of the chicken are debated. As a bird with limited flight capability, the chicken has been transported worldwide by humans. Once the chicken arrived in Europe, very little attention has been given to the human-chicken interactions which governed its success, and enabled it to become permanently established in a region very different to where its ancestor originates- geographically, environmentally and culturally. This study compiles zooarchaeological evidence for the chicken across Europe, combines it with evidence from archaeology and anthropology, and takes the novel approach of applying ecological and biogeographical techniques. Such techniques complement traditional methods of archaeological assessment, and provide
ecology chicken examination introduction domestic chicken across europe bronze_age domestic chicken feature important_part human_society culture subsistence past despite study origin spread many domestic_animal origins nature spread chicken west europe largely_neglect due_lack sufficient compile evidence widely_accept chicken descend asia south east asia precise origin chicken debate bird limit flight capability chicken transport worldwide human chicken arrive europe little_attention give human chicken interaction govern success enable become permanently establish region different ancestor geographically environmentally culturally study zooarchaeological evidence chicken across europe combine evidence archaeology_anthropology take novel apply ecological technique technique complement traditional_method archaeological assessment provide