About the Project
Chickens (also known as 'domestic fowl') are native to South East Asia but, today, they have a worldwide distribution. Their diffusion is almost entirely due to human-assisted transportation and, as such, their natural history is a reflection of human history.
Considerable attention has been given to charting the chicken’s eastward spread from Asia, through the Pacific islands to the Americas; however, the species’ diffusion to the west, through India, the Near East, Mediterranean and northern Europe, has been almost completely neglected: no genetic work has been undertaken and the timing and circumstances of their spread remains poorly understood.
Given the social significance of this species (whether as a provider of foodstuffs, their widespread use in cock-fighting or within magic and medicine) and their growing popularity as domestic pets, a detailed analysis of their natural and cultural history in the West is long overdue.
Such a study has the potential to inform on poultry-borne diseases, food security and environmental ethics, issues of particular importance at a time when billions of people rely on mass-produced chickens as a source of sustenance.
This project brings together researchers from a wide range of countries and disciplines - archaeology, anthropology, (art) history, biology, cultural geography, ecology, human-animal studies, philosophy, theology - to examine the social, cultural and environmental impact of this important but under-researched species.
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- A different kind of Easter egg hunt! Tracking the history of Britain’s Easter Animals. All in collaboration with… https://t.co/0NVeVmDoes — 3 years 5 months ago
- RT @AnimalBones: A new @Chicken_project paper is out for early view: Archaeological and biometric perspectives on the development of… https://t.co/SXLvRH9wDa — 4 years 2 months ago
- RT @UofEArchaeology: Gathering data for @Chicken_project at our open days - where in the world are chickens from? Share your thoughts an… https://t.co/EMebDRuFuv — 4 years 4 months ago
- RT @ArchaeoAnimals: Our latest episode of #ArchaeoAnimals is up! We talk about chickens, the amazing @Chicken_project, and ruin our pod… https://t.co/NVWTnt9dQi — 4 years 4 months ago