Chickens lived significantly longer in the Iron Age, Roman era and Saxon period because they were seen as sacred, rather than a food source, a study found. Applying this to fowl dating back as far as the Iron Age, the team found the birds often lived to advanced ages — suggesting they were used for sacrifice or cockfighting. Pictured: an Iron Age (4th–3rd century BC) cockerel from Houghton Down, Hampshire. The researchers reported that, of the 123 Iron Age, Roman and Saxon bones that they analysed, more than half were from chickens that had reached at least two years of age and around a quarter had made it to three years. Of the 123 Iron Age, Roman and Saxon bones aged, over 50 per cent were of chickens more than two years old, and around 25 per cent over three years.

Source: Daily Mail June 08, 2021 11:14 UTC