13th century illustration of cockatoo shows Australia wasn't 'dark continent'
A 13th century illustration of an Australasian cockatoo debunks the myth Australia was "a dark continent" and reveals trade routes around the country's north were flourishing as far back as medieval times, a study shows. Researchers found the illustration in a manuscript that was either written by or belonged to Roman Emperor Frederick II. It is the oldest-known European illustration of the bird, found in a book dating from between 1241 and 1248, and pre-dating other European illustrations of cockatoos by 250 years.
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