Cultural depictions of dogs

Court ladies playing with a small dog, Beauties Wearing Flowers by Tang Dynasty painter Zhou Fang

The domestic dog has been depicted by humans for thousands of years, the oldest depictions being on the walls of caves. Representations of dogs in art became more elaborate as individual breeds evolved and the relationships between human and canine developed.

Early history

Some of the prehistoric paintings are found in Bhimbetka rock shelters, these paintings depict dog on a leash with a man. Rock art of Tassili n'Ajjer also include depiction of dog. The walls of caves and tombs dating back to the Bronze Age have illustrations or statues of dogs. These generally portray dogs used for hunting, and even children's toys and ceramics depicting dogs. The Ancient Greeks and Romans, contrary to the Semitic cultures, favored dogs as pets, and valued them for their faithfulness and courage, often displaying them on Greek and Roman reliefs and ceramics as symbols of fidelity. Dogs were favoured over cats, which the Ancient Greeks and Romans didn't keep as pets. Dogs were given as gifts between lovers, and uses of dogs included pets, status symbols, guardians and hunting dogs.

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  Netsuke in the Form of a Puppy
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  Sake Vessel of a Chinese Child Holding a Puppy
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  Okimono in the Form of a Pair of Gamboling Piebald Puppies
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  Japanese - Incense Burner ("Koro") in Form of a Dog
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  Covered Bowl with "Fu" Lion

See also

• Coyote (mythology)
• Cultural depictions of dogs in Western art
• Dogs in Chinese mythology
• Dogs in Mesoamerican folklore and myth
• Islam and dogs
• Laelaps (mythology)
• List of fictional dogs
• Rabbits and hares in art
• Staffordshire dog figurine