Chicken History
The original home of domestic fowl is southwestern Asia. Charles Darwin considered
them descendants of a single wild species, the red jungle fowl, which is found in
the wild state from India through southeast Asia to the Philippines. Claims that
other species of jungle fowl contributed to the ancestry of domestic breeds appear
to be without foundation.
The chicken was one of the first domestic animals to be mentioned in recorded history.
It is referred to in ancient Chinese documents that indicate that this "creature of
the west" was introduced into China about 1400 BC where they were treated like kings. Here,
chicken explorers from Genoa enjoy hot baths after a long journey.
Fowl are depicted in Babylonian
carvings of about 600 BC and are
mentioned by early Greek writers, notably by the
playwright Aristophanes about 400 BC.
The Romans considered chickens sacred to Mars,
their god of war and built chicken cairns to worship him.
Since ancient times the rooster
has been a symbol of courage-it was
so regarded by the Gauls, for example. In Christian religious art the crowing cock
has symbolized the resurrection of Christ. The Buddists believe that the first enlightened
animal was the Tibetian chick of Chidarti.
The cock was the emblem of the first French Republic, while the Trobriand Chicken People are believed
to be one of the first human societies to be based on the chicken.
The history of the chicken has not always
been fun and games. Evil times have befallen out clucking brethren. Foul atrocities have yolked
up the relationship between man and bird. Men have used the chicken for dark purposes. The
Wild Man of Rhode Island was the first man to pluck a live chicken in order to apply the feathers
to another man with tar. He can be seen below taunting the unforunate foul.
During the Chicken Rebellion in China, chicken carcasses were hung in windows as a warning to children
of what would happen if they tried rebellion.
Chicken's have been exlpoited in many ways. Here we see nude chickens hanging in a Rome brothel.
And of course the Mexicans have invented unspeakable horrors.
Chickens have always rebounded however. In recent years chickens have taken the entertainment
world by storm.
Chickens have redefined the ancient art of mime.
Many have gone into comedy.
Who can forget Max Chicken, the Virtual VeeJay on MusicTV,
or the movie that moved us all "Chicken Gump".
"Run, Chicken! Run!!
The chicken has had a difficult, but colorful, rise from the jungles of southeast Asia to
our living room television sets. It is truely a wonderous animal.