Very, very old goose

15 September

Going off the beaten track slightly this morning. I was reading The Observer yesterday (UK Sunday newspaper) and came across a lengthy and fascinating article about the artists who decorated the tombs of Egypt’s Pharaohs long ago.

On the wall of one tomb, and dated to around 3300 years ago - think about that - is to be found what is considered to be the “oldest known image of a recognizable bird species”. This:

Very clearly, these are Greater White-fronted Geese.

I am quite stunned at how good this representation is. Nothing of the usual stylistic, 2D wall paintings of people from the period that usually decorate the tombs. These are living and breathing geese. Remarkable.

For the record - this is the bird we know today: