Mrs
Sally Rodwell
Whittlesford - Cambridge - England
6-1-1984
Dear
Mrs Rodwell,
A
very pleasant surprise to receive your letter today as at the moment I’m
working on section of my treatise The
Origin, Evolution, History and Distribution of the Domestic Fowl
dealing with the recovery of chicken bone throughout the world.
The
whole operation is going to be a long and tedious job as I’m getting toward
63 years of age and although retired from my normal work still have plenty to
do apart from this writing.
The
treatise will be in sections, not necessarily in the order that the title
suggests, but hopefully will fit into place in the long term.
I
have been researching and collecting material for some years now which being
so far away from the action has proved quite a job. The matter of sorting and
putting it into readable form is going to be quite a job too. However I intend
to press on. I am sorry to hear of Dr Higg’s passing. I never did get a
reply from him.
I
found the copy of the letter I wrote to him, so as you have the letter, there
is no need for repetition of what I said him.
What
began my interest in the whole Origin etc etc bit was that I had decided to
write a book on the Pekin Bantam fowl as
my son and I have been breeding them for some 18 years as so. When I started
researching for it I found that one thing led to another, so I continued on
with the overall research. It has proved very interesting thought frustrating
at times and I have formed a few conclusions which could be right or wrong but
at least may give someone more learned than myself some food for thought.
I
have written and published a book entitled The
Pekin Bantam in Australia , 187 pages quarto typescript and in it touched
lightly on possibility of origins etc.
There
is one bit that may be of interest to you on China. We had the Chinese
Exhibition here in Australia a few years ago which I visited. On exhibition
was a Celadon pot the spout of which formed a cock’s head. It was 4th
century AD. With a paper I obtained it gave me a lead as to the possible
beginnings of the Pekin Bantam in China.
Would
you like a copy of this book for your personal library. If so I will send you
a complimentary one.
The
information contained in your letter is interesting and most helpful. I was
aware of chicken bone recoveries from a neolithic site at Pan p’o near Sian
in North China. Professor Stanley J. Olsen of the University of Arizona
advised me of this fact. This was only a few years back. I have written to him
only recently to see if anyone had done any study on the actual bone: should
have an answer shortly.
Also
Professor Higham of the University of Otago in New Zealand did work in the
Sakon Nakhon Basin on NE Thailand at Ban Chiang chicken bone recovered there
also. I have his paper on the proceedings. Would suggest you write and ask him
for a copy if you do not already have it.
There
was a thesis done by a Jenny Cane for a Masters degree at the University of
Otago on the dating of chicken bone in the Pacific (I think) only a few years
ago. However I believe she went to Canada. I haven’t been able to locate her
but am still trying. Professor Higham says Ben Chiang recoveries around 3500
BC.
In
my Pekin Bantam book I touch a lightly on these findings. The chicken
bone section of the treatise I’m doing now is going into much more detail.
The
whole problem appears to me to be that although this chicken bone is recovered
nobody seems to attaches a great amount of importance to it. If an osteologist
got hold of the bone and studied its construction from Finsterbusch’s
findings of the differences between the runners
(Malay or Gallus giganteus of Temminck) and the flyers, Gallus Bankiva , in the bone make up could be determined, which in
turn would give us an idea of from what the fowls or their antecedents come
from and as man took his domestic animals with him would help in determining
the moment of civilisation which still appears clouded as far as can see.
Another
instance is the chicken leg bone on Watom Island, New Britain, it was
recovered by Dr Jim Specht of Australian Museum of Sydney who has tried to
track it down for the last few years. Had a letter from him just before
Christmas.
Finsterbusch
was a Chilean who made a life study of Game Fowl and I feel put forward very
logical arguments backed up by practical study on the difference of species.
He suggested the Bankivoids and Malays were different species. He did not go
into the Asiatics (Cochin, Brahma, Langshan) but I believe they were another
species or may we call them subspecies. There are so many differences
physically, anatomically, feather wire etc that I find it hard to believe they
are just variation or ever mutation. They no doubt had a common extinct
ancestor but went off in perhaps three different lines of descent.
I
have great faith in Finsterbusch as he seems to have the positive approach to
the subject. I also believe Thor Heyerdahl voyages proved a point that the
diffusion of the chicken throughout the world could have been both east and
west from Asia (India area). I did write to him a few years ago and he agreed
with this but said we do not really have any positive evidence, which is quite
true.
You
have perhaps heard of the Araucana (Blue Egg chicken) of Chile. The blue egg
trait has never been explained as to the origin of egg shell color. During my
recent researches I found in Finsterbusch that Dutch pirates settled on the
coast of Chile and imported cocks from Dutch East Indies (around early 1600’s,
this comes from another source).
Now,
Hutt (1949) in Genetics of the Fowl
found, Punnett also found that the traits of the pea comb and blue egg shell
color are linked. The Dutch could have imported either Malays or more likely
Aseels (which have a pea comb). These, crossed with the local chickens and a
mutation occurred. The blue egg shell is a dominant trait. The Araucana area
of Chile is considered to be the first area where blue eggs occurred.
The
bone unearthed by Bullock on Mocha Island in this area in 1934 was a
metatarsus of unusual robustness which suggests Aseel traits and was
considered to be around 250 years old. It sort of fits in.
I
received a letter the other day from Professor Carter of Texas A&M
University who has done a lot of work on pre-Columbian Chickens in the
Americas. He gave me a bit more info of recoveries of chicken bone in New
Mexico but once again not enough detail.
Until
we can get these fellows to really study the bones in detail it’s going to
be a hard road.
Have
rambled on more than somewhat but will be looking forward to getting a copy of
your paper on the Transition to
agricultural societies in early China I guess it will be available
through out National University of Canberra.
Now
for some details of your request on the papers. First of all Finsterbusch’s Cock
fighting all over the world has been reprinted I believe (I have an
original) and I think it was done by Spur Publications at the Idle Bradford
but should be available from Veronica Mayhew, near Reading, telephone:
Checkendon 0491-680743.
A
paper that may be very useful to you is from Livestock
of China compiled by Ralph W.Phillips, Ray G.Johnson and Raymond
T.Meyer (1945). This can be obtained from Dr William H.Longnecker, Technical
Information Specialist, Dept. of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA.
I
tried to get hold of a copy of Zeuner but was unsuccessful. However will try
through our Libraries. Have a contact with Head Librarian at Newcastle
University about 15 miles from here. He has helped me previously.
Once
again very pleased to hear from you and would like to keep in touch. I expect
more info shortly as I am in the process of contacting my former informants of
3 or 4 years ago to ascertain whether anything new has turned up.
Following
is a list of details of references you were interested in.
Sincerely
yours,