Birds of
mystery Tim Carl LLC
C
TIM CARL
rows and their larger cousins, ravens, have played an important role in nearly every culture’s mythology and religions and often with odd and sinister twists. What is it about these birds that has made them so central a character to so many cultural stories throughout history? Is it because of their singular shiny, purple-black color? Perhaps it’s their less-than-songlike caws and croaks. Or maybe it’s because of their watchfulness that seems full of curiosity yet somehow remains detached and unsympathetic. Whatever the reason, humans have had a complex fascination with crows and ravens since written records began. In the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” written centuries before the Bible and one of the oldest texts on record, there is a story in which the world is devastated by a flood sent by the gods. A man named Utnapishtim is given instructions 52 | INSIDE NAPA VALLEY
to build a ship and fill it with animals so as to survive. When the deluge stops Utnapishtim sends out a crow in search of land, but the bird never returns to the vessel, implying it had found dry land. In the Bible itself a raven is the first animal mentioned by name (Genesis 8:7) when Noah sends one from the ark, also in search of land. This one, too, never returns. Ravens are also listed as an “unclean” animal (like pigs) in Leviticus (11:15). In the Quran a raven teaches Cain how to bury Abel, the brother he has murdered. Dozens of Native American tribes have creation stories that include a prominent role for crows and ravens — often depicting them as both bringers of light but also portraying them as troublemakers: selfish, conniving and perpetually famished. Hinduism views crows as bringing omens, and the practice of offering them food (little balls of grain called pinda) during the Śrāddha holiday remains common.
ravens because of the widely held belief that if the birds depart the Yatagarasu is a raven from British crown will fall. Japanese mythology that was sent to earth as a heavenly guide for A FEW WORDS ABOUT kings. In China, hearing the crow THE BIRD’S BIOLOGY caw during negotiations is considThe American crow (Corvus ered a bad omen. brachyrhynchos) and the comThe Greeks saw ravens as mon raven (Corvus corax) are linked to Apollo — the god of both members of Corvidae, or light, healing, disease and proph- the family of birds that includes ecy. Vikings believed crows were crows, ravens, jays and tropical synonymous with bloodshed and birds of paradise. Corvus is Latin battle. In Norse mythology two for raven. ravens, Huginn (thought) and Both crows and ravens are Muninn (memory), flew over the large birds, although ravens are earth each day and then shared larger — about the size of a redtheir findings every evening with tailed hawk, nearly twice the size Odin, the ancient king of the of crows. Both are considered Vikings and their gods. extremely intelligent. One study The reverence for crows and conducted by Oxford University ravens is not just found in history. scientists in 2018 reported that Even today in England there is a crows are able to construct comravenmaster at the Tower of Lon- plex tools from up to four difdon who cares for the resident ferent components so that they SPRING/SUMMER 2021
