Pigeons+and+Doves

Pigeons and Doves in Ancient Egypt


 * Egyptian Name:**

//Mnwt// or //N'rw//

The Rock Pigeon, Turtle Dove, and the Laughing Dove were proverbial for their role as prey. They were sometimes pictured in ancient Egyptian paintings and reliefs of wildlife along the Nile. A favorite food throughout Egyptian history, doves and pigeons occupied poultry yards and pens. During the Greco-Roman Period dovecotes were used, which differ little from the dove towers which dominate present-day Egyptian villages.

Pigeon dung was considered highly valuable, a prized fertilizer for vegetables and fruits, and was sometimes used to pay rents. Pigeon feathers were used to stuff cushions. There is some evidence that the Egyptians used carrier pigeons. According to the Harris Papyrus, the oblations Ramses III gave to the Temple of Amun at Karnak included 6,510 doves and 57,810 pigeons. Priests were forbidden from eating pork, pigeon, mutton, garlic, or onions. A fragment from Deir el-Medina records a transaction of 25 pigeons for a goat. Even the deceased enjoyed a feast of poultry - the preserved dinner found in the tomb of an elderly woman buried at Sakkara included pigeon stew.

The Other Birds of Ancient Egypt