TURN OF THE MILLENNIUM FALCON.

BIRDS of prey; HISTORICAL source material; RADIOCARBON dating; RITES & ceremonies

The article discusses the discovery of a partial skeleton of a female gyrfalcon in the citadel of Karabalgasun, the capital of the Uighur Empire in central Mongolia's Orkhon Valley. The gyrfalcon's remains have been radiocarbon dated to the eleventh or twelfth century, during the reign of the nomadic Khitan or Liao Dynasty. Gyrfalcons were highly prized by Khitan leaders and were used for hunting swans as part of an annual spring ritual. The gyrfalcon's rib bones show signs of healed fractures, indicating that it was a captive bird cared for by people. The presence of burned animal bones suggests the possibility of sacrificial rituals in the city. [Extracted from the article]