IN RELIGION
One of the earliest records of the dove is to be found thousands of years BC in the story of Noah and the Flood. A similar story is to be found in other religions. even tribes in the remotest regions have a version of this story in their folklore. Also, since the dawn of history, the dove has been associated with peace and love. In the Christian faith, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove. The Hindu religion always depicts Kamadeva, the God of Love in the company of bees and doves, etc.
THE EGYPTIANS AND THE GREEKS
Records of carvings of doves have been found as early as 3000BC. An Egyptian bas-relief dated about 1350BC shows a flock of doves being released from cages. If being released, they must be expected to return, therefore the homing instinct was strong. The early Greek poets alluded to various ladies and gentlemen employing doves to carry messages to and from their paramours.
THE ROCK DOVE
Down the ages, different varieties of the dove evolved, and it is an indisputable fact that our modern racing pigeon is the modified variant of the Rock Dove. It was a non-migratory bird that settled into a home for life, unless something happened to make that home dangerous.
THE JAPANESE AND THE CHINESE
It is more than likely that the Far and Middle Eastern countries were the first to domesticate the Rock Dove. Ancient records prove that the Japanese bred and used pigeons as messengers. There are no records of the ancient Chinese using pigeons as messengers, although their upper classes certainly kept and bred them. They attached whistles of various pitches to the pigeons, and when they were in flight one can imagine the harmonious music they made.
GAMBLERS AND THIEVES
Records show that gambling on pigeons was quite common in Palastine around 200AD. Not only that, but the stealing of other fanciers' birds was quite rife! The Rabbis took a dim view of this, and as a result, one of the laws of the Jewish Talmud ruled out pigeon fanciers as potential witnesses in their law courts - they were gamblers, and as such it was felt that they couldn't be trusted!
THE ROMANS
The ancient Romans too had their messenger pigeons. While conquering the then known world, they constantly used pigeons to report their victories back to Rome.
THE PERSIAN EMPIRE
Around 1100AD the Sultan had lofts built in Baghdad and other cities of the Persian Empire, with the express view of providing a chain whereby news could be quickly transmitted from one end of the realm to the other.
BAGHDADS
Baghdad, being a great trading post on the east-west route, attracted a wide variety of nationalities, including many Western Europeans, such as Venetians, Belgians and the Dutch. It is most probable that some of these traders, seeing the potential, decided to take home a few of these birds. These were known as 'Baghdads' and it is assumed that the racing pigeons of the Western Europeans included bloodinnes of descendants of those Persian imports.
PIGEONS IN WAR
In 1574 the Dutch were besieged at Leyden. Practically at the point of surrender, they sent a pigeon with a message for help. The pigeon got through and help came to save the Dutch and the day. Pigeons figured prominently as a means of communication during the French-Prussian War.
The news of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo was transmitted by a pigeon owned by the great banking house of Rothschilds.
Pigeons were much used in World War II, and the story of an Irish pigeon who won a medal in the Normandy Landings is for another day on this website.
MODERN RACING PIGEONS
The development of the modern-day racing pigeon in Belgium began during the early 19th century. In pre-telegraph days many commercial firms, professional men and the Press used pigeons for fast communication, carrying messages between Londan, Paris, Amsterdam, etc. Many different 'strains' of pigeons were crossed in the persuit of faster and more reliable pigeons for this task. The next logical step was the sport that could be gained by having speed and reliability tests. Thus evolved pigeon racing as we know it today.
The Belgians and other Europeans in the 19th century felt that 750 to 850 miles for a pigeon race was certainly not too far. The first race from Rome, a distance of 729 miles to Brussels, took place on July 22nd , 1856, with 125 birds released at 4.00a.m. After seven days the first one arrived home, and in all, 12 were reported. In 1868 another Rome race took place, with 180 birds released on 22nd July. The first arrived home on the 3rd of August at 1.55p.m. The second pigeon arrived later that same day, and a third one the following day. By August 12th all the birds had been reported safely home.
The first race from Madrid was organised by the society "Le Amis Rennis" of Liege in 1897. Liberation day was the 14th of June, when 480 pigeons were liberated. The first arrival was on June 21st, and by July 19th only 11 birds had returned.
Fascinating stuff, don't you think? Well, these are only snippets from the book "The Pioneers of the Long Distance Racing Pigeon" by Marie Ditcher, printed by 'All Trade Printers, 40 Brearly St., Hockley, Birmingham. It is well worth reading - get yourself a copy!