Blog Post #5 - EOTO Reaction

Carrier Pigeons from EOTO

On my class's EOTO presentation day, I heard many wonderful presentations about different forms of communication and technology. However, a presentation made by Kaitlyn Sanchez stood out to me the most. Her presentation was about carrier pigeons and their uses until World War I. I found this interesting because I have never thought of pigeons as communication technology; however, it makes sense when I think about it.

From Ms. Sanchez's research, I learned that the use of carrier pigeons was first recorded in 1350 BCE in Ancient Egypt with Pharaoh Akhenaten's paintings and portraits. Egyptians used these birds to send and receive messages. These birds had little houses called "Dovecotes" in most Egyptian villages where they were kept. Like the Egyptians, the Greeks also used these birds for messages and to spread the results of the Olympics.

Arguably the most interesting part of Sanchez's presentation was about St. Olga of Kiev because of her unique use of these birds. Olga was married to Prince Igor I who was killed by the Drevlians. When crowned Queen, she wanted revenge and made a ruthless plan using carrier pigeons. She took three pigeons and three sparrows as tribute from each Drevlian household and tied pieces of sulfur to their feet. After releasing them back to their village, she told her soldiers to shoot fire arrows into the village, which ultimately burned it to the ground.

Finally, in World War I, carrier pigeons were an integral part of intelligence for both sides. Due to their covert nature and small size, the pigeons sent many messages over enemy lines without being detected. While effective, many birds were shot down and only a few survived.

Although pigeons have made a massive impact on how we have communicated for thousands of years, humanity has had a horrible impact on their population. Not only do many people see the use of carrier pigeons as cruel, but these birds are now facing possible extinction due to our actions. This number drop saddens me because I have always thought pigeons were so sweet and peaceful, and I would hate to see them die because of how we have treated them.