Falconry – A Presentation of Falconry at the Apple Festival at Schloss Kaartz

As previously mentioned, the Apple Festival in the gardens of the Kaartz estate featured several surprises, ranging from culinary delights to the showcase of nearly extinct trades.

We were, therefore, quite taken aback to encounter a falconer who provided us with an extensive account of this method of hunting.

Falconry in Ancient Egypt – A Costly Hobby Today

We had previously seen reports from Saudi Arabia, where hunting with falcons is widespread among the elite a hobby that entails significant expense, as enthusiasts purchase trained falcons, often along with the services of their trainers. Naturally, opinions on this as with hunting in general vary widely; some condemn it as animal cruelty, while others praise it as a form of wildlife management and conservation. Consequently, the practice of hunting with birds of prey is a subject of intense debate in some places. Regardless, it was truly fascinating to learn about the history of falconry.

Whether the ancient Egyptians actually practiced hunting with birds of prey remains unclear. However, the falcon as a symbol is indeed found in ancient Egypt. Those who do not wish to travel to Egypt can still encounter such symbols on sculptures and sarcophagi housed in European museums. In Abydos, a burial site containing embalmed falcons was discovered; the mummified birds were wrapped in linen and placed inside large, oval clay sarcophagi some even adorned with gold-decorated masks. Intact falcon eggs have also been unearthed. This, however, may be explained by the profound significance of the falcon as a symbol within Egyptian mythology. Important deities in the Egyptian pantheon were depicted with attributes of a falcon; for instance, the gods Ra and Horus were shown with falcon heads, while the goddess Isis was portrayed with falcon wings. An Assyrian relief found in the ruins of Khorsabad, dating back to the end of the 8th century BC, may depict falconry specifically, a falconer with a falcon perched on his fist.

Falconry and UNESCO

Falconry referred to in hunting terminology as "hawking" or "hunting with birds of prey" involves training raptors, such as peregrine falcons, goshawks, sparrowhawks, and eagles, to hunt wild game. Depending on the species of raptor used, the quarry can include both birds and mammals. Naturally, the practice encompasses not only the hunt itself but also the training and care of the birds. In 2010, UNESCO recognized falconry as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Although various species of birds of prey may be used in falconry demonstrations, the actual sport of hunting is most commonly practiced with peregrine falcons.

In principle, individual species can only be trained to pursue prey similar to what they would hunt in the wild; for example, peregrine falcons cannot be trained to hunt rabbits or other ground-dwelling animals, as they are specialized for aerial prey. However, the animals targeted in falconry can sometimes be significantly larger than those a raptor would hunt in the wild. Golden eagles, for instance, do not hunt wolves in their natural habitat, yet they are sometimes trained to pursue them though the eagle typically does not kill the wolf, but rather restrains it. The differences in the types of prey hunted by each sex are due to the size disparity between males and females (for example, in the northern goshawk or the peregrine falcon).

It is truly surprising what one can learn beyond discovering ancient, native apple varieties when visiting an apple festival. We were so impressed that we would like to share at least some of what we learned with our readers in this article.

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