The history of chicken and other bird exploitation in Thailand

Preliminary analysis of bird remains from four archaeological sites

Bibliographic Data

ID12371363
AuthorsM Eda (0000-0002-3674-6870, Hokkaido University Museum Hokkaido University Kita 10, Nishi 8, Kita‐ku Sapporo Japan, corresponding author), Rasmi Shoocongdej (0000-0003-3018-5088, Department of Archaeology, corresponding author), Prasit Auetrakulvit (Department of Archaeology), J Kachajiwa (Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Archaeology Silpakorn University Bangkok Thailand)
Year2018
Volume29
Issue2
Pages231-237
Publication date2018-12-13
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.2731
OpenAlexW2904062663
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited13

The origin of the domestication of chicken Gallus gallus domesticus is still a subject of debate. It principally originates from the red junglefowl G. gallus , which is distributed throughout Southeast Asia and South China. However, the prehistoric exploitation of chicken and red junglefowl in Southeast Asia has remained unclear due to a small number of samples for bone analysis. In this study, we analysed bird remains from four archaeological sites in Thailand: Ban Hua Ud (4,000–3,000 bp ), Long Long Rak (1,900–1,600 bp ), Ban Non Wat (3,750–1,500 bp ), and Keed Kin (fifth–11th Century A.D.). Bones from pheasants/fowls (Phasianidae), storks (Ciconiidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), crows (Corvidae), and passerines (Passeriformes) were found. A small number of stork bones were found at three lowland sites, with none found at Long Long Rak. Cormorant bones were dominant at Ban Hua Ud but were only found at that site. Pheasant/fowl bones were found at all sites except Ban Hua Ud and dominated the number of identified specimens, suggesting that they were the most commonly used bird, at least after the Iron Age. Morphological bone identification criteria for the 24 Phasianidae species in Thailand have not been established; ancient DNA analysis is required to differentiate chicken/red junglefowl bone from other indigenous pheasants/fowls. It is obvious that mitochondrial DNA remained unchanged in the early stages of the domestication process. Further studies combining ancient DNA and morphological analyses are required to judge whether all of the candidate chicken bones are indeed from red junglefowl or chicken. Although these results are regionally and temporally restricted, they give important quantitative information on bird exploitation during the Neolithic and early historic Dvaravadi periods in Thailand

Ancient DNA · Beak · Biology · Domestication · Galliformes · Geography · Pheasant · Population · Stork · Zoology · Livestock and Poultry Management · Livestock Farming and Management · Ecology