Medieval Gamecock Breeds

[warhorse_stampede]

Hi everyone,

could some of you provide informations about which gamecock breeds were present during medieval times between the 9th and the 15th century in Europe, Asia and Northern Africa? There seems to be an overwhelming amount of breeds in general nowadays, so the research is more demanding than I expected it to be.

I came across Old English Game (Carlisle, Oxford), ancient Greece ones (Rhodus, Tanagra, Chalkidiki), ancient Indian ones (Asil, Madra-Asil, Kulang) and the Japanese Shamo breeds and the Satsumadori, but I am not exactly sure if all of them fit in the medieval era. And then there is for example the Frisian breed, which seems to be at least 1000 years old, but I did not find information, if this kind of breed was used in the event of a cock fight as well.

Thank you very much

 

[Stipenvlerk]

It's not much (and in Dutch) but maybe you find some interesting facts in this document:
http://www.aviculture-europe.nl/nummers/14N01A05.pdf
You could try to translate it using Google. And if you need a specific part translated, I'm willing to help..

 

[cubalaya]

medieval times and much earlier, the Pakistan asil

 

[gallorojo]

The simple answer here is that breeds as we understand them today didn’t exist in medieval times. General types or landraces did, but not narrowly defined modern breeds as we understand them now. Basically Europe would have had primarily Gamefowl of the European type, at that time would have all been quite small, quick, single combs, white legs, the vast majority would have been much like Spanish Gamefowl. North, Western, and Central Asia would have had Gamefowl of the Asian type, roughly corresponding to Asils and the like. Southeast Asia would have had some Gamefowl of the Northern Asian type as well as some that broadly correspond to the Cubalaya/Sumatra type. Chickens originally were domesticated in Southeast Asia, and that is still the center of diversity for them. Prior to the great expansion of global trade in the Renaissance and early modern eras, many of the traits that are taken for granted in chickens today were basically confined to Asia. Most of the popular Modern breeds are complex composites made by blending Asian and European stock in various proportions. Almost all modern breeds , even some of the European Gamefowl, have had infusions of Asian blood. The basic modern “Dual Purpose” types didn’t exist in Europe in Medieval times, they are all modern composites composed in large part of Asian genetics. Large body size, dark brown eggs, yellow skin, and so much more weren’t really a thing in European chickens until recently. Medieval European chickens basically should have corresponded to a light Mediterranean egg type, a heavy Dorking type, and a light Gamefowl type. There was considerably more diversity in Asia, but most of the Gamefowl would be broadly classifiable as of the Asil type, with significant regional variations in size and build.