Falconry

Falconry (occasionally referred to as 'falconeering') is the art or sport of training raptors (birds of prey) to hunt or pursue game.

History of Falconry

Traditional views of falconry state that the art started in Asia, however archaeologists have found evidence of falconry in the Middle East dating back to the 16th century BC. Though these renderings of raptors atop a clenched fist are, according to some researchers, purely religious, it puts a shadow of doubt on those traditional views.

Related Topics:
Asia - Archaeologist - Middle East - 16th century BC

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Historically, falconry was a popular sport, and status symbol, among both the nobles of medieval Europe and feudal Japan as well, where it is called takagari. Eggs and chicks of birds of prey were quite rare and expensive, and since the process of raising and training a hawk or falcon takes a lot of time, money, and space, it was more or less restricted to the noble classes. In Japan, there were even strict restrictions on who could hunt which sorts of animals, and where, based on one's ranking within the samurai class. In art, and in other aspects of culture, such as literature, falconry remained a status symbol long after the sport was no longer popularly practiced. Eagles and hawks displayed on the wall could represent the noble himself, metaphorically, as noble and fierce. In addition, woodblock prints or paintings of falcons or falconry scenes could be purchased by wealthy commoners, and displayed as the next best thing to partaking in the sport itself, again representing a certain degree of nobility.

Related Topics:
Medieval Europe - Feudal Japan - Takagari - Samurai

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In her Boke of St Albans, first printed in 1486, Dame Juliana Berners provides the following hierachy of hawks and the social ranks for which each bird is appropriate.

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• Gyrfalcon - King
• Peregrine Falcon - Earl
• Bastard Hawk - Baron
• Lanner & Lanneret - Squire
• Merlin - Lady
• Tiercel - Poorman
• Sparrowhawk - Priest
• Kestrel - Servant or Knave