A Dove Tale (NEW CONCEPTS)

[Wile E. Coyote]

Part of the problem is that orthodoxy is convinced that the primitive Brit occupied single storey African style round houses in the middle of Berkshire.

The idea that the most inventive nation on the earth did not also use multi storey buildings including lofts is to orthodoxy laughable. Yet this is exactly what they did.......

[Wile E. Coyote]

Spiral reckons that the terrace might have predated the brick built house.

Wile thinks the bird tower might have also predated the castle.


In fact................

[Wile E. Coyote]

Evidence of non human occupation at certain sites is starting to become clearer.

[Ishmael]

[Wile E. Coyote]

An example from the Bayeau Tapestry.

[Boreades]

Err, an example of what from the Bayeau Tapestry?

Bottom left, in black and white, is what looks like some bloke with his wedding tackle dangling between his legs.

Right, we have what looks like Ye Olde Worlde Space Rocket.

Top left, a black cat on the roof? For what?

Centre-left, two demonic pillars signifying what?

[Wile E. Coyote]

[Mick Harper]

It clearly is a dovecote (because of the checkerboad openings and not to mention the fact that there are pigeons flying above it!)) but the question is why include it? It is not something you would normally 'take on campaign' since doves (or rather pigeons) are bred for food and this would be a laughable way to bring, as it were, meat on the hoof.

So why is it featured so prominently on a record of a military campaign? Because of pigeons' other use -- for sending messages. William was, after all, on the wrong side of the Channel from his HQ.

[Mick Harper]

Not so fast. The birds have got union jack wings which, while presumably not an anachronism, would appear to rule them out as doves or pigeons, whose main feature is a uniform grey (ornithologists please write in). Pigeons would be familiar to Bayeux tapestry-makers. Though of course tapestry-makers are notoriously prone to being more colourful than accurate. Like academic historians writing books.

Normans of course are latterday Megalithics so it may be presumed that they were familiar enough with, indeed expert in, avianics.

[Chad]

[Ishmael]

Uniform grey.....

Uniform.

UNIFORMS!!!

Pigeon markings are heraldic devices and indicate who they belong to---who is sending the message. One's hawks can be trained to avoid birds of one's own marking.

[Wile E. Coyote]

I am still wondering about Boro's Rook = Rocket

[Ishmael]

I say quite likely. Google says...

Rocket
early 17th century: from French roquette, from Italian rocchetto, diminutive of rocca 'distaff (for spinning)', with reference to its cylindrical shape.

[Wile E. Coyote]

[Hatty]

Looking at pigeon racing clubs, it's clear that France has a phenomenal number of 'colombophile' societies [including Loon Plage!], perhaps not unexpected judging by the apparently lamentable state of French roads.

The breed most associated with France and Belgium is the Carneau whose name suggests the bird was bred for eating. The carrier pigeon is thought to have been bred originally in Persia which is interesting in view of the pigeon-fancier tradition of the north-east, dominated by the Percy family and perhaps the Parisi before them.