Jackal question.

[BigBlueHead]

I was hoping someone could answer my question.

In Egyptian paintings and some similar things I have seen pictures of what people called "jackals", monstrous black canids with jaws like crocodiles.

In the real world, all of the jackals I have seen are cute little things with brown and gold fur that look nothing like these depictions.

What exactly were the Egyptians drawing? Is there really a jackal like that? I have only seen the small, fuzzy ones.

 

[Dr Lou Natic]

Thats a good question, I know what pictures you mean and no, no jackal looks anything like that.
Is it certain that they referred to that animal in the drawings as a jackal? Could it be a misinterpretation of hyroglyphics?
I believe the egyptians had domestic dogs that looked quite similar to the pictures you are talking about.
The surviving descendent being the pharoah hound, but you can imagine over the years the pharoah hound has been softened and shrunken, as with most domestic dog breeds.
The pharoah hound of ancient egypt was probably a much more formiddable creature, more akin to the "jackals" in those ancient paintings.

 

[Mephura]

 

[Mephura]

i see some similarities

 

[Dr Lou Natic]

Hmm, no.

Pharoah hound;

I can definately see some similarities there.
I think they were drawing their dogs.

 

[Mephura]

I'll agree to the similarities there. Question is what did they breed them from? I would assume jackals, but i could be wrong. I'll do some looking into it and see what i come up with.

 

[Mephura]

The origin of this hound in prehistoric times has been the subject of research by many Egyptologists. They conclude that if this race of dogs could have resulted from a mixture of many kinds of wild canidae, it is quite natural that from time to time, one of these elegant individuals would crop up with the elegant silhouette of Canis Doerdelini, the beautiful limbs of the Canis Lupaster, & the long nose, erect ears & gentle nature of the Pariah or Wandering Dog of Egypt.

From:
http://www.rtis.com/nat/user/kaydurr/#HISTORY

so far the best i have on the species mentioned are that Canis aureus lupaster is a subspecies of Canis aureus or the common or golden jackal, and nothing on the doerdelini. I am assuming that is it another subspecies of jackal or perhaps a wild dog that has since gone extinct.

also:

This breed is said to have been used to hunt by the pharaohs of Egypt. Sculptures and paintings from ancient Egyptian tombs around 3000 B.C. depict a dog bearing a striking resemblance to the Ibizan hound.

from:
http://members.tripod.com/~ancient_egypt/doae.html

Ibizan hound
the similarities are striking to the pharoh hound.
definitely common ancestory.

They also talk about the Basenji, but there isn't much similarity between them and our subject.

 

[spuriousmonkey]

when was the pharaoh dog bred?

edit - added a 'g'

 

[Dr Lou Natic]

It may well be a reconstruction as many breeds are(or it might not, to be honest I don't know), but that is not to say the ancient egyptians didn't have a dog that looked extremely similar.