Chickens have magic powers, says professor

Do hens and roosters deserve more respect? Today, there are more chickens in the world than people. But they used to be rare, special animals.  What's happening?  The rooster stares at its rival. Suddenly, it jumps forward.  The cockerels hit each other. There are feathers everywhere as they fight. A crowd of people cheers on.  Find out more This is what life was like for a chicken in Roman Britain. In the past, chickens had lots of respect. They were worth lots of money. They were rare and beautiful. Some people even thought they had magical powers.  Naomi Skyes is an archaeologist. She studies the history of chickens. According to her, Romans thought chickens could predict the future. In Ancient Greece, they represented strength. Some ancient people even gave them special burials.  Today, chickens are cheap food. They are kept in cages and made into nuggets. And we do not think of them as strong any more. If you call someone a "chicken", it means they are scared and timid.  Do hens and roosters deserve more respect? Some say For hundreds of years, people everywhere loved chickens and thought they were special, holy creatures. But today things are different. It is time we learnt to respect the chicken again.  Others think Over time, cultures and priorities change. The chicken was special because it was so rare. Now, not many people think the chicken has any magical powers.       KeywordsArchaeologist - A person who studies history through the excavation of sites and artefacts.