Cave Paintings of Dogs Show Early Human Connection

The cave paintings of dogs that have been discovered in various parts of the world are a testament to the strong bond between humans and dogs that dates back thousands of years.

These ancient paintings depict dogs in various poses, including hunting scenes and family gatherings, suggesting that dogs were an integral part of early human life.

Some of the most famous examples of cave paintings of dogs can be found in the caves of Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain.

These paintings are estimated to be between 15,000 to 17,000 years old, providing a unique glimpse into the lives of early humans and their canine companions.

Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the Arabian Peninsula, uncovering ancient rock art that dates back around 8,000 years.

The rock art, found in northwestern Saudi Arabia, features hunting scenes with dogs on leashes, providing the earliest known evidence of dog leashes in the archaeological record worldwide.

The images depict dogs helping humans hunt lions, ibexes, gazelles, horses, and other prey, with some dogs on leashes tethered to the waists of hunters.

These early hunting scenes suggest that humans were controlling and training dogs even before they settled down into farming communities.

The dogs in the engravings have pricked ears, short snouts, and curled tails, similar to the modern Canaan breed in their appearance.

Genetic and archaeological evidence suggests that dogs were domesticated from a gray wolf ancestor at least 15,000 years ago, but the exact timing and location of this event is still debated among archaeologists.

The rock-art sites of Shuwaymis and Jubbah fill in a piece of this puzzle, providing evidence of domestic dogs in the Arabian Peninsula much earlier than previously believed.

The images also rival 8,000-year-old paintings of dogs on pottery from Iran, previously thought to be the oldest depictions of dogs.

Archaeologists found the panels in two sites, one called Jubbah near an oasis and another called Shuwaymis near a wadi, a dry valley that floods and becomes more lush during wetter periods.

The oldest evidence of dogs in art dates back an astonishing 8,000 years to the Arabian Peninsula. Rock art sites in northwestern Saudi Arabia, such as Shuwaymis and Jubbah, feature intricate carvings of dogs on leashes.

These ancient hunting scenes depict dogs helping humans hunt lions, ibexes, gazelles, horses, and other prey. The dogs are often shown on leashes, with some even tethered to the waists of hunters.

The dogs in the engravings have distinct features, such as pricked ears, short snouts, and curled tails, which are similar to the modern Canaan breed. This suggests that humans were controlling and training dogs even before they settled down into farming communities.

Archaeologists have estimated that the rock art dates back 8,000 or possibly even 9,000 years, to the pre-Neolithic era. This would mean that domestic dogs were in the Arabian Peninsula much earlier than previously believed.

The images of dogs on leashes are not only the oldest evidence of dog leashes in the archaeological record worldwide but also rival 8,000-year-old paintings of dogs on pottery from Iran.