Where did the simile 'as wise as an owl ' originate?

Answer 1

It is believed that in the first instance, Archaeopteryx was the first bird, some 150 million years ago. Along the way, owls evolved as their own species, being found to live some 60 million years ago, if not sooner. Owls were more successful than other birds, filling every role of birds as we know them today, until birds became more successful and the owls started dying out, leaving just two main families, the Strigidae ( all owls except Barn owls and Grass owls ) and the then more common Tytonidae ( Barn owls and Grass owls).

Gradually, the typical owls ( Strigidae ) over took the Tytonidae, the Strigidae became the more common family, some 200 different species, the Tytonidae have around 17 different species.

Answer 2

Ancient Greece. Then accepted in many countries in Europe.

(If you look at the many owl faces living in europe, some look like smiling, some look like as with large glasses, next the owl with glasses symbol was usually connected with public library)

Answer 3

Origin:Old English ūle, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch uil and German Eule, from a base imitative of the bird's call

Answer 4

Edward Hersey Richards wrote a wise old owl...

Answer 5

It came from the Greek Goddess Athena, who is the goddess of wisdom.