The Scythians of the Azov-Black Sea region began to use falcons, hawks and other birds of prey a hundred years earlier than the inhabitants of Macedonia. The first cases of falconry date back to the 4th century BC.
This conclusion was reached by Doctor of Historical Sciences Sergei Lukyashko after studying the Elizavetovsky-on-Don burial ground, where archaeologists found the burial of a man together with a saker falcon. This type of burial testifies to the special relationship between the bird of prey and its owner.
- The Scythians loved to depict birds of prey on jewelry and household items. This attitude towards the bird demanded an explanation. Comparing a series of facts, I came to the conclusion that the Scythians had hunting with birds of prey, - Sergei Lukyashko believes.
During archaeological excavations in the Azov-Black Sea region, in the cultural layers of the settlements, scientists also discovered the remains of birds of prey: golden eagle, sparrowhawk, goshawk, saker falcon, kite and white-tailed eagle.
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The earliest evidence of hunting with the use of birds of prey is found in China and dates back to the beginning of the 7th century BC. Then this type of hunting appeared in Japan and Korea. In the Middle East, the first mentions date back to 668-626 BC. NS. This type of hunting reached its highest development in the Middle Ages.