Who tamed pigeons and for what purposes these birds of the world were used

It has long been firmly entrenched in the minds of people that the dove is a bird symbolizing peace, happiness, love. It is not for nothing that the tradition of launching a pair of doves into the sky, which symbolizes the happy future of a young family, is becoming increasingly popular at weddings.

History of domestication

According to some historians, the first domesticated pigeons appeared in Egypt. Other historians claim that they were tamed by the ancient Sumerians. The Egyptian version is evidenced by the drawings left by the ancient civilization, dated five thousand years BC.

In Sumerian history, the mention of doves was found on Sumerian cuneiform tablets dated approximately to 4500 BC.

How were pigeons used?

So you can select several directions in which this bird has been used since ancient times.

• Used for food.
• Used in religious ceremonies as a sacrifice.
• Used as postal messengers.
• Used as a symbol of the goodness of the light of the world of happiness.

Ancient people found in these birds unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention, good fertility and tasty meat. Therefore, at the first stage, this bird was eaten. The next stage of relations with this bird developed in the Sumerian tribes. They were grown for ritual sacrifices. It was the ancient Sumerians who first began to use these birds as postmen. And then the Egyptians began to use them in the same capacity when they went on sea voyages.

Later these birds loved all over the world and became iconic. In Babylon and Assyria, snow-white doves were bred, which were considered the earthly incarnation of the goddess of love, Astarte. Among the ancient Greeks, this bird with an olive branch in its beak symbolized peace. The peoples of the Ancient East were convinced that the dove symbolizes longevity. In Christianity, the dove began to symbolize the Holy Spirit.

The expression “The dove is the bird of peace” gained worldwide significance after World War II, when a white bird with a palm branch was chosen as the symbol of the Peace Congress in 1949.

War and doves

Having adopted the experience of the ancient peoples during the global wars, the First and Second World Wars, pigeons were again introduced to the postal business. The imperfection of modern communication equipment of those years forced us to recall this old and proven method.

Yes, pigeons saved thousands of lives, quickly delivering the message to its destination. The advantage of using such postmen was obvious. The bird did not require special care and maintenance costs. It was invisible on enemy territory, it is difficult to suspect an enemy liaison in this common bird. She delivered messages, choosing the shortest path to the goal, and everyone knows that in battle, delay is like death.

What place does a dove occupy in the modern world

At this stage of the relationship between a dove and a person, this bird has taken a neutral place. At the moment it do not eat, do not use in religious ceremonies, do not send with letters. It has lost all its practical significance and is used exclusively for decorative breeding.

In modern cities, pigeons gather in flocks and, as a rule, like to fly to the central squares, where they are fed by the townspeople and guests of the city. In Europe, several areas have already been identified that are hard to imagine without a flock of tame pigeons.

For example, in St. Mark’s Square in the well-known as the most romantic city of Venice, countless individuals of both sexes have settled down for a long time and for a long time. Now they have become a symbol of this main square, and all tourists try to feed the birds with their hands and capture the moment for memory, with a camera or video camera.

Many weddings now use this symbol of purity, happiness, well-being, releasing, as a rule, white representatives of the pigeon family after the marriage ritual. Combinations white bridesmaid dress with white dove in the hands it looks very touching and cannot leave indifferent.

It is impossible not to note one more feature of this bird, which simultaneously benefits and harms. It’s about bird poop. On the one hand, this organic substance has long been recognized as one of the best fertilizers for plant nutrition. On the other hand, populating the cities and taking a fancy to the sights, these winged creatures leave traces of their presence everywhere. In some cities, this has become a real disaster, with which they are trying in every possible way to fight.

Breeding decorative individuals

Since the beauty of pigeons does not leave many indifferent, there are many lovers who breed different breeds of decorative pigeons.

Usually bred one breed or several over the years. Experts distinguish two lines of breeding.

• Crossing. As the name implies, crossbreeding involves through selection to achieve improvements in any qualities between different breeds.
• Purebred. And purebred breeding is the desire to improve the breed by culling non-ideal individuals and crossing only the best representatives of the breed.

The most beautiful representatives of the breed are regularly taken to exhibitions, where they are evaluated according to established parameters.

At the moment there are not one thousand different breeds, many of which only vaguely resemble their ancestor.

Thus, the evolution of consumer relations between a person and a pigeon has moved into a phase of benevolent and respectful relations. People recognized this beautiful bird as a symbol of peace and happiness.