S07 → N400
The Spike of Fascinating & Unexpected
SPIKE 03
→ DOVECOTE.
© 1. unknown / 2. gimbellet (flickr) — Pradère les Bourguets, Haute Garonne / 3. christophe (flickr) — Borie, Odars / 4. Christophe Ramos — Lampaut, Tarn / 5. Rosemary Kneipp — Gaillac / 6. OTHT — Château de Beillard / 7. unknown — Lavergne, Lot / 8. unknown — Lavaure, Tarne / 9. unknown / 10. Thérèse Gaigé — Pied de Mulet sur piliers à Saurs, Tarn / 11. christophe (flickr) — Pigeonnier Frejeville - Lieu dit Le rouch, Tarn / 12. Rosemary Kneipp / 13. David Barrie — Milhole, Moissac / 14. Dépêche du Midi — Occitan / 15. US Coast Guard Archives (USCG).
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Some of the oldest surviving examples date back to ancient Rome. The Romans built dovecotes, known as “columbaria,” which were often cylindrical or rectangular stone structures with numerous niches for nesting birds. These early dovecotes played an essential role in Roman agriculture and diet, as pigeons provided a steady supply of meat, and their droppings were used as a highly effective fertiliser. The design and concept of dovecotes spread throughout the Roman Empire, influencing the construction of similar structures in Europe and the Middle East in subsequent centuries, where their presence was considered a status symbol among landowners and nobility.
The breed of homing pigeons, also known as carrier pigeons, mail pigeons, messenger pigeons, and colloquially “homer”, has a long history across different civilisations. Homing pigeons possess an extraordinary ability to find their way home over long distances, a skill that has fascinated humans for centuries. These birds have been used in various cultures for communication purposes, especially before the advent of modern technology. Their homing ability is attributed to a combination of environmental cues, such as the Earth’s magnetic field, the position of the sun, and visual landmarks. During both World Wars, homing pigeons played crucial roles by carrying critical messages across enemy lines, often saving lives and providing essential communication when other methods failed.
In addition to their aptitude as messengers, pigeons proved valuable for rescue purposes. Developed during the late 1970s and early 1980s by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Project Sea Hunt emerged as a response to the limitations of traditional search and rescue methods, particularly in remote or challenging maritime environments. Pigeons, renowned for their exceptional visual acuity and remarkable homing instincts, were trained to identify specific colour patterns associated with objects or individuals adrift at sea. Trained pigeons were released from USCG vessels or aircraft to scan the ocean’s surface. Upon spotting the targeted hues, the pigeons would signal their discovery, either by pecking at a designated area or triggering an alert mechanism, prompting immediate rescue efforts.
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→ Sourced from: SYSTEM 02 (Altanube Pando)
→ Stored online: N400 Spikes Repository
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→ Search log: Google images / Les pigeonniers du Tarn-Et-Garonne / Les pigeonniers
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