Conference Report: Of dogs and men

Heritage Key (Owen Jarus)

Beverley Miles, a doctoral candidate at MacQuarie University in Australia, has been researching the relationship that dogs and humans had – during the time that the pyramids were built. She presented her results at an Egyptology symposium in Toronto a week ago - and they are not for those of a delicate disposition!

She’s found some pretty convincing evidence – in the form of three pieces of art – that dogs and humans shared a very close relationship.

How close?

Well, one artefact, pictured here, depicts a human male making mouth to muzzle contact with a dog. “These objects are highly unusual,” said Miles. “Such interactions are extraordinary in the light of the renowned conservatism of Ancient Egyptian society.”

Human to human contact is rare during this time, she explained, “much less between human and animal.”

So why are the humans getting so close to dogs?