(Illustration from the Falconry Book of Frederick II, c. 1240s, [Public
Domain] via Creative Commons and the Vatican Library)
Falconry, a complex form of
sport and hunting, is thought to have existed long before the earliest eras of recorded
history. The art of falconry, sometimes called hawking, is estimated to have been
developed around the third millennium BCE. Some of the earliest depictions of
falconers can be found on Hittite stelae dating back to the 13th century BCE,
though some people believe falconry may even be depicted in cave paintings from
far older times. While falconry seemed to have always been popular among
cultures in the Middle East and the central Asian steppes, Europeans were
introduced to the sport at a much later time. Centuries of crusades, beginning
in 1096 CE, exposed the method of hunting to armies of crusaders and Christian
nobles, who brought the sport back home with them to Europe. The United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (thankfully shortened to
UNESCO) formally included falconry in their list of Intangible Cultural
Heritages of Humanity on November 16, 2010.
Falconry has declined in
popularity since ancient and medieval times, but falconry clubs and
organizations still exist, and many countries provide access to falconry licenses.
Another interesting legacy left behind by falconry is a list of everyday
English sayings that are thought to have been derived from the sport. The
phrase, “fed up,” supposedly originated from the behavior of falcons that had
eaten and were content on a full stomach—therefore; the lethargic birds
disobeyed orders and ignored their falconers. Having somebody “wrapped around
your finger” allegedly referenced the act of a falconer wrapping the string or
cord attached to a falcon around his finger, thereby giving the hunter more
control over the bird. Similarly, having somebody “under your thumb” is thought
to reference a falconer keeping the cord of a bird under his thumb, preventing
it from flying away. So, even if you have never witnessed or even heard of
falconry, the sport has likely had more of an impact on your life than you may
know.
Written by C. Keith Hansley.
All I can add is that European made tiny brass" Hawk Bells" were an instant hit when the Frenchman Jacques Cartier traded with the Native People of Eastern Canada in the early 1530s ..
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