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Vulture Culture
It is not surprising that impressive species such as raptors should have had, and continue to have an impact on our culture and traditions. This is particularly apparent in the case of the imperial eagle which has a central role in heraldry where it is used on coats of arm. These depictions may refer to one of our flagship species or they may simply be a generic stylized eagle, however, whatever is the case, we still refer to these symbols as Imperial Eagles. The best known example of the Imperial eagle is undoubtedly the Aquila (a bronze or silver eagle with outstretched wings), used as a military standard by the legions of ancient Rome.

In the Western World, many nations adopted the eagle as a symbol in order to emulate the greatness of the Roman Empire. Examples include:

  • the Imperial Eagle (Reichsadler) used as a flag by the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire (1871-1945)
  • the French Imperial Eagle, the regimental symbol used by Napoleon Bonaparte's French armies

Vulture culture

Throughout history, vultures have attracted the attention of mankind. They have been feared and revered as gods, they have been hated as defilers of the dead and they have been blamed for carrying disease, stealing human babies and bringing bad luck.

Ancient Egypt

Cultural traditions surrounding vultures stretch right back to the time of the ancient Egyptians where it had its own hieroglyphic symbol for the sound ah as in father.

The Egyptian vulture was also closely associated with the pharaoh because this bird was the symbol of one of Eqypt's oldest deities, the goddess Nekhbet. She was believed to be the protector of the pharaoh, royalty, and of Egypt itself and is always shown with her wings extended to protect. This vulture was always seen on the front of the pharaoh’s crown. More information on Nekhbet can be found at: www.ancient-egypt.org

European vulture goddess and death rituals

Vulture goddesses are also known in Europe for example the Basque vulture goddess, the Mari (Mairi and Maide), the Lady of Anboto, is a major Basque deity who appeared in the form of a vulture. She is also depicted as a woman with the feet of a bird. Mari was revered as the goddess of death and regeneration. Both the Mairi and Maide are associated with megalithic structures which are believed to be ritual centers associated with the principle of death and regeneration.

The link between vultures and death rituals is exemplified by the "sky burials" which were practiced regularly in the past in Tibet; dead bodies are offered to vultures or other wild animals in a practice known as jhator or giving alms to birds. In Europe, a similar custom was also followed in parts of Iberia and in Bulgaria, special vulture rocks (kadi rocks) were used as places where executed prisoners were left as food for vultures.

Uses

Vulture body parts were also used in early medicine. The following uses of Black vulture body parts were outlined in one 18th century document:

"…del gordo se sirven los boticarios, y de la piel de los pechos la componen y sirve para los que están tocados de pecho… De las plumas se sirven los pinceleros y algunos otros se acomodan para escribir…" (Azcárate, 1990). The fat was used by chemists for making ointments, the feathers as quill pens for writing and the chest skin was prescribed for "the ones that suffer from the chest".

Music, poetry and folktales

Vulture bones have been used to make flutes since prehistoric times, such flutes were used by various early cultures including those of both France and Greece. The oldest, recognizable, musical instrument is a 40,000 year old flute made from the ulna of a griffon vulture which was discovered in Germany. For more information follow this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8117915.stm.

The practice of making flutes from vulture bones persisted until comparatively recently in Mallorca where the musicians used the wing bones of the black vulture rather than those of the griffon vulture.

The Vulture

The Vulture eats between his meals,
And that's the reason why
He very, very, rarely feels
As well as you and I.

His eye is dull, his head is bald,
His neck is growing thinner.
Oh! what a lesson for us all
To only eat at dinner!
Hilaire Belloc
A Rumanian myth tells of a gathering of all the birds of the world, to determine who was to be their ruler. The eagle was decided to be the ruler. The falcon came second, followed by the Cinereous vulture, then other vultures, and finally hawks and kites. The last was the sparrow hawk, tiny but extremely smart, who contested his position. Arguing that even the eagle was not the strongest being in the world, he pointed out that archers and hunters could easily kill these majestic birds. All the birds turned to him for the answer to their safety. "Always fly alone," the sparrow hawk advised, "for then you will not be easy targets for hunters." the great rulers heeded his advice, and today the Great Vulture always flies alone.