Tracking The True Tale Of Turkeys
Research from Leicester University’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History student Brooklynne Fothergill documents the history of the turkey, which cites the turkey’s original use as a source of feathers and as a symbol by the indigenous peoples of North America.
By interpreting signs of disease in turkey bones from archeological sites and archival sources, Leicester University student Brooklynne Fothergill studied turkeys from circa 750 to 1750, identifying long-term patterns of disease and injury and animal husbandry practices employed over this thousand-year period.
The research study found that the domesticated turkey was not always used for meat, but it was originally domesticated as a source of feathers. It was also symbolic to the native people of North America.