Nick
Romanowski
School of Psychology
Deakin
University - Victoria - Australia
14-7-1986
Dear
Nick,
I
was delighted to receive your letter and comments on the origins etc of the
domestic fowl. Good to know that there is someone else in Australia is
interested in the subject.
As
you were loaned the Chicken Bone
Recoveries I am enclosing a copy for yourself as well as a copy of
the Supplement to it which contains
feedback from Chicken Bone Recoveries and further information that came to
hand. As you will observe this information proved I feel was of quite an
important nature.
I
have also almost completed the printing of the next book in the Origin etc
series The Gallus species, which discusses the Jungle Fowl and the
possibility of the Malay and Asiatics (Brahma, Langshan, Cochin) as being
distinct species from the Bankivoids. I will send you a copy when ready (about
middle of August)Hopefully there will be other books in the series:
1
Covering the evolution of birds from the Dinosaurs through Archaeopteryx etc
2
Early and
3
Late history of the domestic fowl, and
4
Distribution and diffusion through the world.
In
1982 I also published a 187 pages book on the Pekin
Bantam in Australia, not connected with the origins series. Your comments
were very interesting and I would like to use your information in the Gallus
species with due acknowledgement of course. If you let me know fairly
quickly I will still be able to get it in at the end of the book. My idea is
to put all comments, theories etc such as yours together in print in an
endeavour to stimulate further interest and comment on the subject. This has
been working for as you will see from the Supplement
quite a bit of ongoing material come out of Chicken
Bone Recoveries.
Fine
you being a zoologist but having an interest in domestication of plants,
animals etc. I guess you have access to Darwin’s The
variation of Plant and Animals under Domestication (my edition is 1896).
Another good reference is Man across the
sea put out by the University of Texas. It discusses most things in
separate chapters. Professor George Carter of Texas A&M University did the
chapter on the question of pre-Columbian chickens.
I
correspond with him and he has been most helpful. He believes there were
pre-Columbian chickens etc but he says most of the authorities think chicken
bones as being intrusive just as you say. They don’t want to know therefore
no dating no evidence.
Eventually
we may get someone over there to stand up and he courted your comments via
Bering Straight I think would fall in with George Carter’s idea. He is
Professor of Geography. I have received a letter from Professor Cawley also at
Texas A&M and have sent him my material. Waiting for his comments. He is
not a good correspondent I am told but I believe very knowledgeable on the
subject. I have also been told he is doing a book on the Araucana don’t know
how far down the track he is.
Regarding
my hypothesis on the blue egg shell origin
I was aware that the shell is blue right through, George Carter
suggested the red brown but I have however received a bundle of material on
the blue egg subject from Professor Ralph Somes of the University Connecticut.
He has done quite a bit of research on the subject. As soon as I get the
chance I will photocopy it for you and send it on. The origins of Araucana is
still somewhat clouded as is the existence of pre-Columbian chickens in the
Americas. I have written to South America but received nothing really on the
Araucanas. I believe the Araucana Indians themselves are now more or less
extinct so this may make the road a little harder.
I
realise my hypothesis is not conclusive by any means. However someone who
reads it may have something to add to it. We have so much to learn yet.
I
am not an academic myself. My interest stemmed from exhibiting and breeding
fowls and I have found the subject quite fascinating and challenging. Yes, our
problem here in Australia is that we are not close to the action and it is
necessary to do a lot of writing overseas in an endeavour to obtain material.
I have a pretty extensive library of old poultry books but that is not good
enough. You have to chase the information.
I
have a couple of contacts in New Zealand, Dr Green, University of Auckland who
has recently been up to Watom Island and Professor Higham who has last year
been to NE Thailand again for the second time. I am waiting to get reports
from them.
I
would be pleased to have a copy of Savers’s paper. If you have the
references as to when it was published in, I might be able to help getting
hold of it. I have a good friend Dr Longnecker at the National Agricultural
Library in US. He may be able to locate it.
Your
thoughts on the possible entry of chickens and people to Americas via Bering
Strait is strengthened by the discovery of chicken bone in Northern China
(5000 BC) and I believe a current travels north from Japan in the Northern
Pacific then South down the West coast of the US. Lots of possibilities.
I
believe Heyerdahl’s theories of sea travel are quite sound. Ra,
Kon Tiki and later Tigris, at least he proved it could have happened that way. The
unfortunate thing is that it’s very hard to get conclusive evidence. I have
been pushing the point that ongoing study should be done on any bones
recovered.
The
overall subject covers so many of the sciences which makes it so much more
interesting. I have been researching perhaps for some 10 to 12 years and will
carry on as long as I can. The drawback is I have to do the typing, printing
on a duplicator and funding (which is beginning to run dry). I have had no
success so far obtaining funding for the research and publication. I have made
approaches to both State and Federal Government.
Let
me know if I can use your comments and I would be interested to receive your
comments on the Supplement.
Sincerely
yours,