An argument for a Bronze Age introduction of the chicken in Greece

Abstract

The arrival of the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in ancient Greece during the Archaic period is often presented as an established fact. Given that the chicken was referred to as ‘the Persian Bird', and because the bird only appears in Greek written sources from the 6th century bc onwards, there seemed to be good grounds to do so. Over the years, however, osteological remains have been found in much earlier contexts, and although recent studies have now cast some doubt on the reliability of this evidence, various early depictions of and references to the bird strongly suggest that the chicken was already known at a much earlier date. By surveying all the available evidence, including faunal remains, iconography, and written sources, this paper challenges the traditional date of the chicken's introduction in Greece and instead argues that the bird was known in the Aegean at least as early as the Middle Bronze Age.