Art a Fact
Mystic Sage Grouse
Summer 2015
The Sage Grouse, and several other wild birds, has been placed on the US wildlife list for endangerment. Very little is known about Grouse but it does have historical roots that date back to ancient Greece. Used as head dressing, the feathers are considered to have healing powers when feathered past the body, such as a shaman does in that faith healing belief. The Greeks would wear the feathers until some paid the wearer money at which time a feather would be pulled and fluttered past the buyers body. Regrettably, the feathers was toss into the trash, so to say, after each healing.
The Romans wore them as head decorations. It is that ancient costuming that today is the figuring on the Statute of Liberty in New York's state harbor. Even though France honored the harbor with the Lady Liberty, they only wore the feathers for a very short period of time...insects was the excuse.
Thanks for viewing and hope all the Plutonium readers enjoyed this bit of history of the now protected Sage Grouse.
