This Chicken Is Completely Black From Its Feathers To Its Bones

Ayam Cemani has inspired Javanese folklore since the 12th century, when it was considered a bird of the elite. Its charcoal-coloured blood is rumored to be a delicacy of spirits that bring power and wealth, making it a good luck charm.

It is said by some folks to be a landrace bird, but there is evidence that it was a developed breed at some point. It is not a chicken of the 'common' people. People of wealth and community standing have these birds as status symbols and take great care of them. They are thought of as good luck charms, with the blood and other parts of the bird being used in traditional medicine preparations. The Ayam Cemani is said to have magical powers and can facilitate communication between the living and the spirit world. As such, it is used as a sacrificial bird to please the gods, its' flesh is rarely eaten in Indonesia. They were first imported to Europe in 1998 by a Dutchman named Jan Steverink.