How did the relationship between humans and dogs begin? Why is it considered our oldest friend? When do scenes with dogs as domestic animals appear in Greek art? What information do we glean from the approximately 1,300 depictions of dogs on vases and the 9 royal hounds on the Vergina fresco?
In order to provide the answers, Pako’s arrival in the life of the family of the emeritus professor of Archeology at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panos Valavanis, played a decisive role. It all started with the relationship that was beginning to build with the new family member in the heart and mind of the great archaeologist and university teacher, but, above all, with the need to conduct a different excavation. Reading the book “Dogs from ancient times” by Panos Valavanis from “Primary” publications, with the inventive illustration of Hara Marantidou, the thoughts, on the one hand, meet the familiar elements for those who experience the companionship, respect and sharing of of our daily life with an animal, with a dog, as an equal member of our family, and, on the other hand, they bring to mind the virtues offered by the knowledge of History.
Mutual respect
“These are interrelated. Cohabitation is common life by definition. Living together involves tolerance, acceptance and endurance on both sides. In the end, love and respect come from both sides”, he comments to “ET”. of Sunday, professor Panos Valavanis and unfolds the thread that connects man’s relationship with his oldest friend from ancient times and the learning of History. After all, as the professor tells us, “a good book educates while having fun.”
During his study, he discerned a gap in the Greek literature for extensive reference to the history and role played by dogs since ancient times, the prolific author, who has written twenty-five books of stories regarding ancient vessels and temples, for top monuments of the country, which have even been translated into foreign languages. “The ancients, like us today, loved their four-legged friends and left us, without intending to, a lot of direct and indirect information regarding them,” notes Mr. Valavanis in his book.
Gathering information that archaeologists have recovered, either by studying the ancient literary texts or by observing and interpreting their representations in statues, reliefs, vases and figurines or, finally, by excavating and bringing to light skeletal remains in many excavations, sometimes thrown into wells and pits , once carefully buried in the cemeteries next to the people, the professor narrates the course of the quadrupeds next to the people. The book is divided into two distinct sections: “Sources for Dogs in Antiquity” and “Dogs Next to People”. From the first pages, ancient literature gives the reader valuable and moving information. Among them, the reference to Argo starring in the climactic moment, in his meeting with Odysseus, creates one of the most powerful images of dog loyalty in world literature.
Categories
Then the names of dogs and their breeds take us on a journey to ancient Greece. There were four main categories of dogs: Laconic, Molossian, Cretan and Melitean. Another important source for the knowledge of dogs is iconography, i.e. their depictions in all kinds of artwork, from prehistoric rock paintings to statues, reliefs and vases of the classical and later times. “For the first time, dogs as companions are found in Greek art, mainly from the 7th and 6th centuries. BC, and they indicate a radical change in the way people treated them, reducing animals to equal creatures,” the book, which runs through every period of antiquity, says.
Dogs, according to the study, are present in human evolution… Characteristically impressive is the large colorful fresco of the royal tomb of Vergina. It is the largest painting of ancient Greek art. It is multi-faceted and represents an activity particularly dear to the royal house of Macedonia. The composition consists of six hunting scenes, which are developed in a row, among trees, rocks, bushes and stones. Ten hunters and fifteen animals are involved, nine of which are dogs. Since the domestication of the dog, this noble animal has accompanied in all aspects of life from hunter and prey in prehistoric times, companion in all conquests on the walk, at the banquet, in the gymnasiums, in war and in the shrines and an eternal companion for young and old. .
Info
“DOGS FROM ANCIENT TIMES”
PANOS VALAVANIS
ILLUSTRATOR: Hara Marantidou
EDITIONS: “Raw material”
PAGE: 64
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