EXPL/HAR-HIS/1135/2021

Research Unit: IEM-NOVA FCSH
Participant Institutions:  Salvaterra de Magos Municipal Council –Royal Falconry; the Archaeo-science Laboratory – General Directorate of Cultural Heritage

Lead Researcher: Tiago Viúla de Faria
Assistant Lead Researcher: Rémy Cordonnier
Research Team: Tiago Viúla de Faria (LR), Rémy Cordonnier (Co-LR), Alice Tavares, Ana Paiva Morais, Ana Sirgado, André Silva, Carlos Pimenta, Diana Martins,  Fabio Barberini, Filipa Soares, Filipe Alves Moreira, Hélder Carvalhal, Joana Ramôa, Sónia Gomes.
Consultants: Aleks Pluskowski, Baudouin Van den Abeele, José Manuel Fradejas 
Duration: 2022

The core premise of the FALCO Project is to enable multidisciplinary research into the relationship between human beings and other species in medieval Portugal through exploring the historical bonds with a specific animal group, birds of prey.

Including the “falconidae” and “accipitridae” families, birds of prey derive from various different species. Project researchers and consultants are specialists on key issues in the study of birds of prey and medieval society. The group shall specifically analyse the various facets of these connections. This takes into account the known primary sources, employing both established and developmental methodological approaches in order to determine both the potential and the limitations of certain types of historical records in accordance with the approaches deployed.

On completion of the project, and as a result of research activities and scientific debate, we seek to obtain a solid methodological basis for research (wide reaching and interdisciplinary) on the human-animal relationships in the Middle Ages, transversally conceived into themes and disciplines.

Contact: falco@fcsh.unl.pt