BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Canaan Canine Faces Threat in Israel

Bible and Archaeology News

First-century rock drawings in the Sinai and more than 700 fifth-century B.C.E. canine skeletons unearthed at the coastal site of Ashkelon* south of Tel Aviv attest to the historical prominence of the Canaan dog, a pointy eared breed that has lived in Israel since Biblical times. The wild breed has faced difficulties over the last few decades due to rabies eradication programs and decreasing numbers of Bedouin camps in the Negev.

Sha’ar Hagai Kennels, located outside Jerusalem, collected and bred desert dogs to keep the Biblical breed from becoming too thoroughly inbred, but when the kennel received an unexpected eviction notice from the Israeli government, the dogs’ future grew grim. An online petition is raising awareness to protect Israel’s official breed, but a court decision could mark the end of an effort to sustain the ancient pedigree.

Canaan dog

First-century rock drawings in the Sinai and more than 700 fifth-century B.C.E. canine skeletons unearthed at the coastal site of Ashkelon south of Tel Aviv attest to the historical prominence of the Canaan dog, a pointy eared breed that has lived in Israel since Biblical times.

* See Lawrence E. Stager, “Why Were Hundreds of Dogs Buried at Ashkelon?” Biblical Archaeology Review, May/June 1991.

Related Posts

A rock-hewn altar carved out of limestone located about a mile from Shiloh. The four corners point to the four directions on a compass (Exodus 27:1-2). Photo: Yoel Elitzur
Jun 12
High Places, Altars and the Bamah

By: Ellen White

An example of animal bones collected from an archaeological context. Photograph by Sasha Flit; courtesy of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University.
May 21
What Is Zooarchaeology?

By: Deirdre N. Fulton and Lidar Sapir-Hen


1 Responses

  1. Ernie says:

    Amazing but very boring

Write a Reply or Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


1 Responses

  1. Ernie says:

    Amazing but very boring

Write a Reply or Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Sign up for Bible History Daily
to get updates!
Send this to a friend