By michael vivar
Humans developed agriculture 11,500 years ago. Immediately, they needed to protect their precious food from wildlife. This initially involved just chasing birds and rodents away.
Economizing effort drives innovation, which led to the creation of scarecrows. The earliest examples of these are from ancient Egypt.
On the other side of the world, Japanese famers were constructing "Kakashi" figures to protect their rice paddies.
Each indigenous tribe throughout the Americas that had a farming culture also had their distinctive scarecrows.
Scarecrows are now mostly used for outdoor decoration during autumn, specifically for Halloween. They range from whimsical to terrifying. Here are five available for purchase.
The resin statue of a gruesome undead scarecrow is only a little over 2 feet tall. It still lends a frightening accent to any garden.
This life-sized figure has motion-activated animatronics and a pre-recorded script. The volume of the voice is adjustable to avoid annoying neighbors.
Pose this scarecrow in any sitting position. It’s made from felt and straw. The smiling face will cheerfully greet passersby. Chair not included.
For those looking for an unnerving ambience, this eerie figure stands at 6 feet tall. with a foreboding look on its face. It can be displayed outdoors, but it’s not waterproof.
This basic yet imposing scarecrow towers at 7.5 feet tall. The included two-pronged metal stakes allows for placement anywhere on a lawn or even a small dirt patch.
All of these scarecrows are available online through the brands' websites or on the Amazon Marketplace. They're listed in order of descending price.
Is your house decorated for Halloween yet?