Common Origins of Man: A Universal Practice
The Decoration of the Head with Feathers
by Theresa Mitsopoulou
Various exotic birds found in Asia ,South America, Australia and Africa, such as, the pheasant, peacock, mythical phoenix, parrot, egret, ostrich, cascar, eagle, rooster, duck and goose, owl, quetzal (winged snake) fly-catcher, and cockatoo, have had their feathers used as headgear by Mexican emperors, the antefix of Olympia, the Prince of Lilies in Knossos, in Crete, and on traditional Chinese figures within the Shadow Theater. We have also seen the winged snakes with similar feather headgear within museums located in Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, China and within the Acropolis museum in Greece.
The feathers have been used in ritual dances during the youth initiation process and in rewarding winners. Feather decoration has also been used by the Ancient Egyptians, the kalash of Pakistan, the Indians of North America, the Chinese, i.e. the Dong minority, for leaders of tribes in Africa and for the Australian aborigines. Man has created imaginary human beings with feathers, like “demons”, Nikes, Angels, Gods with birds’ faces and winged animals, lions, horses and snakes. The feathers symbolized freedom. According to legend, fortune tellers are able to understand the language of the bird and also train eagles to bring food, such as birds and fish. Certain species of birds in Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas have beautiful shiny colors and their king is a peacock - the sacred bird of Hera.
It is believed that Alexander the Great brought the parrot to Greece and the Argonauts brought the pheasant from Colchis to Greece. Today, a certain species of pheasants, known as “jewel of nature” exists around Mt. Olympus, in Greece, and it is known for its tender meat. The male pheasant has many different colors such as turquoise, green, purple, orange, and yellow. The feathers of their tails are often two meters long and were worn by the sovereigns, priests, and shamans to decorate their heads. Warriors also decorated their weapons, spheres, shields, helmets and their coat of arms with feathers.
Ritual dancers, winners of games, and adolescents during initiation, usually engaged in these activities with feathers on their heads. Besides the famous quetzal of Central America, the peacock of India, the pheasant of China, the ostrich of Africa, the exotic birds of Australia, New Guinea and the Carribean, feathers of geese, ducks and eagles, were used for decoration as well. In Greek art, there is rare usage of feather decoration, (with the exception of Crete), because such beautiful birds did not exist in Greece. The big industry for finishing, dying and discoloring bird feathers started during the Middle Ages in England and France. Later, the fashion of wearing bird feathers flourished in Europe and America in the beginning of the nineteenth century. Ultimately, this fashion brought serious threat to birds of rare species. The J.J Audubon Society was founded in California for their protection.
Head Gear for Emperors and Priests made
with tail feathers of one hundred quetzals
birds “quetzal” is the Aztec name for “winged
snake”.
The arrangement of the colored feathers had
astronomic and calendar meaning. From
Mexico City Museum of Anthropology (to create
such a head gear, one hundred male birds were
needed).
Large antefix (diameter
of
2.4 meters, about 600 b.c.) from Terra Cotta
housed in the museum of Olympia, in
Peloponessos, Greece (imitation of exotic
feathers).
Bronze etruscan fan from a grave (600 b.c.
housed in the archaeological museum of
Florence, Italy.)
It looks like a fan made of feathers.
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The Aztecs believed that man at the beginning had the shape of a snake that came out of the Earth and that little by little, as he became “humanized” feathers grew on his body which, at one point, would lead him to the skies. Apparently, the feathers symbolized the passion of man to fly and meet immortality.
Winged Gods (Hermes, Nike, Eros, Isis etc.) Animals (Sphinx, Horse, Lion, Bull, etc.)
A copy of the archaic Sphinx (about 560
B.C.) found at Spata, in Attica, Greece,
decorates today the International Airport of
Eleftherios Venizelos (original is housed in
the Archaeological Museum in
Athens).
Stone-Winged Horse near Xi’an, engraved for
the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozhong and his
wife, Empress Wu Zetian
Was the Greek winged Nike-Victory known in
China? Tang Dynasty Tile-End “with winged
figure” with her hands clasped against her
chest similar to the Greek statues--Qinghai
County
Museum
Reconstruction of the Nike–Victory of
Paionios (321
B.C.)
The original marble statue (2.15 meters
height) is in the Archaeological Museum of
Olympia--Peloponessos, Greece.
The peacock (the bird of Hera), “smiles
when it looks at its feathers” and “cries when
it looks at its ugly
legs”.
It opens its feathers like a fan which are
full of “eyes” like the beads for the
protection against the “evil
eye”.
The peacock feather forms inside an “eye” like
the “spectacle” of the Cobra, which offers
protection in addition to the color
blue.
My idea is well supported by the fact that the
“eyes” of the peacock feathers resemble the
eye of the Cobra and moreover, the Chinese
name of this species of snake means exactly
Yanjingshe which means: “spectacle” snake.
The famous “blue bird” of the wall painting
in Knossos is most probably a peacock.
Peacock made of yak butter the main product
of Tibet.
157 Korean girls with feather fans.
Traditional Chinese puppet show figures.
“The Prince
of
Lilies” with pheasant feathers. Wall painting
of about 1500 B.C. from Knossos
Detail of a scroll of a tenth century
Chinese painter; Cleveland Museum of Art
Chinese opera figure (Taipei review July
2002). The feathers symbolize the snake.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Mandarin in the
Palace Museum of Taiwan with peacock feather
(the eye of the peacock on the back of his
head.)
Chinese Emperor with feather on his
head.
From the Ming Dynasty Scroll “the Emperor’s
Procession” in the palace museum of
Taipei.
The Emperor’s horse has two long feathers next
to the ears and a red one next to the
muzzle.
In the Olympic games, the athletes were
decorated with red ribbons (on the forehead
and the left arm and thigh) after their
victory and so were the horses of the chariots
that won the race.
Sultan with feathers in his
head.
Photo from the book “Silks for the Sultans
from the Topkapi
Palace”.
Published by Ertug and Kocabiyik.” Istanbul,
1997. “Collectors Series” worth
$550.
The feather was the prize of games and exploits, for sovereigns, military men and musicians. The number and position of the feathers was of importance. Feathers were used for ritual dance and the ceremony of the initiation of the youth.
Detail of a clay painted vase with a Maya
Prince.
Clay mask. Teotihuacan. 1st c.
B.C.-900 A.D. M.N.A.H.
A youth of the Paiwan tribe of Taiwan with
pheasant feather because he took part in a
foot-race. His brother, who came first, won 3
feathers, the first prize.
Young boys of the Gogo tribe of Tasmania.
Circumcision and initiation with feathers.
War dance of the Ami tribe of Taiwan.
Under the right knee most probably the Order
of the Garter, known in Greece since Mycenean
times.
The Touchi of Rwanda dance; ritual dances
with feathers.
Australian Aboriginal during a ritual
dance.
Australia, cape York. Ancient dance with
cockatoo feathers.