Dog In Ancient Greek Culture Essay
Across time animals have featured significantly in the lives of humans. In this paper, I shall focus on the domestic dog and examine its role in the daily lives and culture of the ancient Greeks. In doing so, I will provide an overview of the species, before turning to archaeological evidence which sheds light on the role dogs played in daily life, and how the Greeks thought of them. In addition, I will examine some examples of dogs represented in both two and three dimensional art, and consider how dogs were depicted and described in texts, especially in Greek myth. From here I will explore the role of dogs in religion, considering the philosophical significance they held. Ultimately, in looking at these various aspects of dogs through the lens of ancient Greek culture and life, these specific areas of inquiry will overlap, offering support to the idea that dogs played a significant role in the daily lives and culture of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks saw dogs as intelligent, although they tended to consider the dog in a utilitarian manner, namely, as a helper to be utilised. Dogs were used as companions, herders, and guardians, among other things. And importantly, this was not only during life. The Greeks also saw dogs as playing an important function by providing these services
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after death.
Species Information
The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, is a quadrupedal mammal which is a member of the Canidae family. Dogs are said to be the first animal species to be domesticated, which is estimated to have taken place at the end of the last ice age around 15,000 years ago.1 Dogs are derived from the domestication of the gray wolf, and nowadays there are hundreds of different breeds of domestic dog.2 In terms of distribution, although the wild gray wolf population is found in the northern hemisphere, domestic dogs are spread worldwide, living with humans in a variety of environments. In such environments, dogs can live for over twelve years, with some even living for up to twenty years.3
Although dogs have been selectively bred by humans for different physical and behavioural traits, they still all share the same basic morphology, which is that of the gray wolf. Some dogs, such as collies, have been bred for their animal herding abilities, while others, such as hounds, have been bred for their hunting abilities. Thus, dogs come in a wide variety of sizes, from small breeds such as the maltese, to larger breeds such as shepherds. In terms of colour, coat colouration varies from white to darker browns and black, and the colouration on dog's coats come in a wide range of patterns.4
Dogs have specialised teeth which allows them to both bite and tear meat and other food sources, and they have soft padded feet that allows them to move quietly. Another interesting feature of dogs is the way they regulate their temperature, specifically, their method of cooling. Dogs use their tongues for heat regulation. As the moisture on their tongues cools, when a dog breathes cooled air is drawn into its respiratory system which assists in cooling the animal.5
As highly social animals, dogs use a variety of communication modes in order to navigate their environments. They use body language, such as tail wagging, they have a powerful sense of smell which can detect information provided by pheromones, and they utilise vocalisations such as growling, barking and whimpering. Dogs also use physical contact as a way of communication. All of this has helped the dog to successfully form strong social bonds with human beings.6
Archaeological Evidence
The lands of ancient Greece have yielded a good deal of interesting archaeological evidence that sheds light on the role that dogs played in the life and culture of ancient Greeks. For instance, an excavation of a tomb at Kavousi in Crete uncovered the remains of several dogs. The remains were found under the floor of the tomb, approximately 0.8 metres deep, in a space roughly 1.30 x 1.60 metres. Dog skeletons were found laying both horizontally and vertically in the fill, and interestingly, a number of the dogs that were found were puppies. Furthermore, the evidence indicates that the dogs were placed into position whole, as the skeletons of the dogs were found to be fully articulated and the bones lacked any indication that the animals had been butchered.7 That these dogs were buried under the tomb suggests a close association of dogs and humans, and that perhaps dogs were utilised in burial rituals.
In contrast to the finding at Kavousi of multiple dogs being buried together in a single pit, archaeologists have discovered the burial of a single dog at a site in Athens. This site is particularly interesting as the construction of the grave and the content of the grave besides the dog tends to suggest that this dog was important to whomever buried it. The grave of the dog was found behind the Stoa of Attalous and was a round pit dug into bedrock. The walls and floor of the pit were lined with clay, showing that care was taken in its construction. Interestingly, the dog was laid into the grave with a large beef bone placed next to its head.8 Aside from the careful construction of the grave, the placement of a beef bone with the dog could mean that the dog was a cherished pet and its owners sought to give it an appropriate burial, or that this dog was possibly a dog of some importance and both the quality of the grave and the inclusion of the beef bone were symbolic of the dogs importance.
At an archaeological site at Kastro, archaeologists discovered dog bones scattered throughout fill deposits. At this site, however, no complete or partially complete skeletons were found. Instead, the site turned up dog bones which featured cut and chop marks in keeping with the marks found on the bones of animals that have been butchered for food. That is, the markings on the recovered dog bones indicated that the animals had been skinned and dismembered, in much the same way that food animals such as sheep or cattle are butchered. Furthermore, many of the longer bones had been broken which is in keeping with humans breaking longer animal bones in order to make them the correct size for cooking pots.9 So, in addition to dogs seeming to be cherished and given significance in burial procedures, it also appears that they were sometimes utilised as a food source by some ancient Greeks.
Role in Daily Life
In terms of the daily lives of ancient Greeks, the role of dogs varied considerably.
For instance, according to Busuttil, dogs, particularly toy breeds such as the maltese, were highly popular as pets, both for men and women. In ancient Greece it was customary for owners of such pet dogs to even take them on long voyages as a source of companionship and pleasure. The ancient Greek writer Artemidorus expressed such an attitude towards the keeping of malitaean toy dogs as pets by saying that they are “the supreme pleasure of life and the greatest of all delights.”10 This view of dogs as pets could help explain the burial of a single dog with a beef bone placed next to its head in
Athens.
Although some dogs lived as pets in ancient Greece, this was not their only role. Dogs also played an important role serving cattle herders, not only by providing the herder with constant companionship, but they additionally acted as deterrents for cattle robbers and wild animals which might damage or steal the possessions of herders. In addition to serving cattle herders, specific breeds of dog were utilised in other roles. For the Greeks, a breed much like a mastiff was used as a sheep dog, and hounds were used as hunting dogs.11
Aside from dogs playing a role assisting humans in their daily activities, archaeological evidence gives reason to believe that dogs also made up part of some ancient Greek's diets. As well as the butchering marks found on the bones found at Kastro, the bones themselves were found amongst fill that was made up of food refuse.12 Moreover, in addition to the Kastro site, an excavation at Lerna uncovered similar findings, namely, bones that represented the remains of around 134 dogs. Strikingly, at this site not a single complete cranium could be found, and it was even impossible to reconstruct a skull from parts of an individual dog. Along with the presence of typical butchering marks on the bones, this led Gejvall to state this such evidence “forces us to conclude that the fur of dogs was used, and that the meat and the brains made a desirable contribution to the food supply for considerable periods.”13
Representations in Art
Dogs are represented in both two and three dimension in ancient Greek art, and such art acts as further evidence as to the roles of dogs. In terms of dogs existing as pets in ancient Greece, there is a great example of the melitaean dog in the role of pet. The oldest representation of a melitaean dog is found on an amphora from around 500 B.P. The amphora is decorated with the image of a young man walking with a small dog walking just ahead of him. It is clear that the man is not engaged in hunting. Instead, he looks well dressed and the scene has the feel of a leisurely stroll. The dog itself is clearly outlined and is more stylistic than detailed. Its posture is relaxed and it seems in good condition, which is in keeping with the idea that it is a pet.14
Dogs are also represented in hunting scenes on vases. For example, a 5th century vase depicts a hare hunt in which two dogs accompany two humans in pursuit of a hare. Once again, the dogs are represented in a stylistic manner, with the dogs coloured black in the 'black-figure' style. In the scene, the dogs are clearly represented wearing collars to which their handlers have attached leads. The dogs appear to be a type of hound, much like the modern grey-hound, which is often associated with hunting, and one of the dogs is represented in a way that conveys that it is smelling, perhaps trying to locate the scent of the hare. Meanwhile, the lead dog is more animated, even pulling on the lead, as it looks to have located the hare and is eager to give chase.15
In addition to two dimensional art, dogs are represented in three dimensional sculpture. An example of this is the marble sculpture of a hunting dog from the 6th century, which is thought to have guarded the sanctuary of Brauronian Artemis. The dog appears remarkably life-like, and seems to be in a position that a dog might adopt before it were to pounce on prey or in an aggressive act. The features of its body are clearly defined, so much so that the dog's individual ribs are noticeable, along with its muscled shoulders, perfectly formed legs and face, all of which which leaves the dog looking as if it is in a highly focused mental state. Such a posture and appearance would indeed suit a sculpture that was used to guard a religious site.16
after death.
Species Information
The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, is a quadrupedal mammal which is a member of the Canidae family. Dogs are said to be the first animal species to be domesticated, which is estimated to have taken place at the end of the last ice age around 15,000 years ago.1 Dogs are derived from the domestication of the gray wolf, and nowadays there are hundreds of different breeds of domestic dog.2 In terms of distribution, although the wild gray wolf population is found in the northern hemisphere, domestic dogs are spread worldwide, living with humans in a variety of environments. In such environments, dogs can live for over twelve years, with some even living for up to twenty years.3
Although dogs have been selectively bred by humans for different physical and behavioural traits, they still all share the same basic morphology, which is that of the gray wolf. Some dogs, such as collies, have been bred for their animal herding abilities, while others, such as hounds, have been bred for their hunting abilities. Thus, dogs come in a wide variety of sizes, from small breeds such as the maltese, to larger breeds such as shepherds. In terms of colour, coat colouration varies from white to darker browns and black, and the colouration on dog's coats come in a wide range of patterns.4
Dogs have specialised teeth which allows them to both bite and tear meat and other food sources, and they have soft padded feet that allows them to move quietly. Another interesting feature of dogs is the way they regulate their temperature, specifically, their method of cooling. Dogs use their tongues for heat regulation. As the moisture on their tongues cools, when a dog breathes cooled air is drawn into its respiratory system which assists in cooling the animal.5
As highly social animals, dogs use a variety of communication modes in order to navigate their environments. They use body language, such as tail wagging, they have a powerful sense of smell which can detect information provided by pheromones, and they utilise vocalisations such as growling, barking and whimpering. Dogs also use physical contact as a way of communication. All of this has helped the dog to successfully form strong social bonds with human beings.6
Archaeological Evidence
The lands of ancient Greece have yielded a good deal of interesting archaeological evidence that sheds light on the role that dogs played in the life and culture of ancient Greeks. For instance, an excavation of a tomb at Kavousi in Crete uncovered the remains of several dogs. The remains were found under the floor of the tomb, approximately 0.8 metres deep, in a space roughly 1.30 x 1.60 metres. Dog skeletons were found laying both horizontally and vertically in the fill, and interestingly, a number of the dogs that were found were puppies. Furthermore, the evidence indicates that the dogs were placed into position whole, as the skeletons of the dogs were found to be fully articulated and the bones lacked any indication that the animals had been butchered.7 That these dogs were buried under the tomb suggests a close association of dogs and humans, and that perhaps dogs were utilised in burial rituals.
In contrast to the finding at Kavousi of multiple dogs being buried together in a single pit, archaeologists have discovered the burial of a single dog at a site in Athens. This site is particularly interesting as the construction of the grave and the content of the grave besides the dog tends to suggest that this dog was important to whomever buried it. The grave of the dog was found behind the Stoa of Attalous and was a round pit dug into bedrock. The walls and floor of the pit were lined with clay, showing that care was taken in its construction. Interestingly, the dog was laid into the grave with a large beef bone placed next to its head.8 Aside from the careful construction of the grave, the placement of a beef bone with the dog could mean that the dog was a cherished pet and its owners sought to give it an appropriate burial, or that this dog was possibly a dog of some importance and both the quality of the grave and the inclusion of the beef bone were symbolic of the dogs importance.
At an archaeological site at Kastro, archaeologists discovered dog bones scattered throughout fill deposits. At this site, however, no complete or partially complete skeletons were found. Instead, the site turned up dog bones which featured cut and chop marks in keeping with the marks found on the bones of animals that have been butchered for food. That is, the markings on the recovered dog bones indicated that the animals had been skinned and dismembered, in much the same way that food animals such as sheep or cattle are butchered. Furthermore, many of the longer bones had been broken which is in keeping with humans breaking longer animal bones in order to make them the correct size for cooking pots.9 So, in addition to dogs seeming to be cherished and given significance in burial procedures, it also appears that they were sometimes utilised as a food source by some ancient Greeks.
Role in Daily Life
In terms of the daily lives of ancient Greeks, the role of dogs varied considerably.
For instance, according to Busuttil, dogs, particularly toy breeds such as the maltese, were highly popular as pets, both for men and women. In ancient Greece it was customary for owners of such pet dogs to even take them on long voyages as a source of companionship and pleasure. The ancient Greek writer Artemidorus expressed such an attitude towards the keeping of malitaean toy dogs as pets by saying that they are “the supreme pleasure of life and the greatest of all delights.”10 This view of dogs as pets could help explain the burial of a single dog with a beef bone placed next to its head in
Athens.
Although some dogs lived as pets in ancient Greece, this was not their only role. Dogs also played an important role serving cattle herders, not only by providing the herder with constant companionship, but they additionally acted as deterrents for cattle robbers and wild animals which might damage or steal the possessions of herders. In addition to serving cattle herders, specific breeds of dog were utilised in other roles. For the Greeks, a breed much like a mastiff was used as a sheep dog, and hounds were used as hunting dogs.11
Aside from dogs playing a role assisting humans in their daily activities, archaeological evidence gives reason to believe that dogs also made up part of some ancient Greek's diets. As well as the butchering marks found on the bones found at Kastro, the bones themselves were found amongst fill that was made up of food refuse.12 Moreover, in addition to the Kastro site, an excavation at Lerna uncovered similar findings, namely, bones that represented the remains of around 134 dogs. Strikingly, at this site not a single complete cranium could be found, and it was even impossible to reconstruct a skull from parts of an individual dog. Along with the presence of typical butchering marks on the bones, this led Gejvall to state this such evidence “forces us to conclude that the fur of dogs was used, and that the meat and the brains made a desirable contribution to the food supply for considerable periods.”13
Representations in Art
Dogs are represented in both two and three dimension in ancient Greek art, and such art acts as further evidence as to the roles of dogs. In terms of dogs existing as pets in ancient Greece, there is a great example of the melitaean dog in the role of pet. The oldest representation of a melitaean dog is found on an amphora from around 500 B.P. The amphora is decorated with the image of a young man walking with a small dog walking just ahead of him. It is clear that the man is not engaged in hunting. Instead, he looks well dressed and the scene has the feel of a leisurely stroll. The dog itself is clearly outlined and is more stylistic than detailed. Its posture is relaxed and it seems in good condition, which is in keeping with the idea that it is a pet.14
Dogs are also represented in hunting scenes on vases. For example, a 5th century vase depicts a hare hunt in which two dogs accompany two humans in pursuit of a hare. Once again, the dogs are represented in a stylistic manner, with the dogs coloured black in the 'black-figure' style. In the scene, the dogs are clearly represented wearing collars to which their handlers have attached leads. The dogs appear to be a type of hound, much like the modern grey-hound, which is often associated with hunting, and one of the dogs is represented in a way that conveys that it is smelling, perhaps trying to locate the scent of the hare. Meanwhile, the lead dog is more animated, even pulling on the lead, as it looks to have located the hare and is eager to give chase.15
In addition to two dimensional art, dogs are represented in three dimensional sculpture. An example of this is the marble sculpture of a hunting dog from the 6th century, which is thought to have guarded the sanctuary of Brauronian Artemis. The dog appears remarkably life-like, and seems to be in a position that a dog might adopt before it were to pounce on prey or in an aggressive act. The features of its body are clearly defined, so much so that the dog's individual ribs are noticeable, along with its muscled shoulders, perfectly formed legs and face, all of which which leaves the dog looking as if it is in a highly focused mental state. Such a posture and appearance would indeed suit a sculpture that was used to guard a religious site.16