Dogs In Art Throughout History

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264 – September, 2025

By Anna Szabó

Over the centuries, countless artworks depicting dogs have been created to symbolize guidance, loyalty, fidelity, protection, faithfulness, power, and love–just like in the case of horses. Their cultural depictions have become more elaborate as individual breeds evolved and their role in society developed. Sometimes they give the viewer a clue to a human subject’s personality, lifestyle, or social status.

No one knows for certain what the earliest images of dogs are. Scientists believe cave art discovered in Saudi Arabia dating back thousands of years may be amongst the oldest depictions of human’s best friend ever documented. A scene (and others like it) engraved onto the cliffsides protruding from the dry, arid desert covering the northern region of present-day Saudi Arabia shows a group of hunters surrounded by a pack of dogs that resemble the modern Canaan dog. Other rock paintings and carvings found in the Sahara Desert and India showcase dogs around 8,000 years ago both leashed and unleashed, alongside humans, often participating in hunting scenes. The presence of leashed canines is a clear indication just how early on humans developed a sophisticated level of control and partnership with dogs.

Looking at the jackal/dog-headed god Anubis. It’s evident just what a significant place dogs held in Ancient Egypt, appearing in tomb art, and serving as spiritual protectors, loyal companions, and guides into the afterlife.

Click here to read the complete article
264 – September, 2025

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Posted by AnthonyA on Sep 20 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.