Work

Uncovering the lives of rock doves ( Columba livia ) in Late Bronze Age Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Despite a long and dynamic history of coexistence with humans, the prehistory and domestication of the common pigeon ( Columba livia ) are not well understood. Here, the authors re-examine a large assemblage of avian bones excavated from Late Bronze Age contexts at Hala Sultan Tekke on Cyprus, aiming to contextualise the presence of pigeons within the settlement and their relationship with contemporaneous humans. The results of zooarchaeological and stable isotope analyses, they argue, suggest that these birds may have been semi-domesticated and may have held a symbolic/ritualistic role that challenges their common perception as mere urban dwellers.

Source: Antiquity

DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2026.10351

Authors: Anderson L. Carter, David S. Reese, Ronald van Bommel, Marcel T.J. van der Meer, Canan Çakırlar

Institutions: University of Groningen, Yale University, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

Language: English

Topic: Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

Subfield: Paleontology

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550

Funder: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen