Pharaoh
Hounds allow us to experience antiquity. The exact history of the Pharaoh
Hound is the subject of debate. Many say that they originated in ancient
Egypt and the Phoenicians exported them to the islands of Malta and Gozo where
they remained pure for millennia. Others argue vehemently that the
breed originated in Malta and the similarity to the artwork of ancient
Egypt is coincidence.
My personal belief, based on museum tours,
lots of reading, and some educated guesswork is that the flat-backed, prick-eared
Mediterranean Sighthounds (Pharaoh Hound, Ibizan Hound, Cirneco
del'Etna, Basenji, and others) originated from the same ancestral breed,
which came from Egypt. From there, the local populations tinkered
to make the breed better fit its new locale and duties. Whichever side of the debate you're on,
all agree the Pharaoh Hound has one of the most ancient
of all origins and is still very similar to its ancestors. Their job
throughout the millennia has been to hunt using their wonderful eyesight, speed,
agility, and wits. Their specialty on Malta was the rabbit. Kelb-Tal-Fenek,
their Maltese breed name,
means "dog of the rabbit." This hunting focus has molded a dog
that is athletic, intelligent, and self confident. The breed enthusiasts
take great pride in maintaining this wonderful breed as close to its roots as
possible. We breed to preserve the breed; not "improve" so that it
no longer looks like the hound that came to us out of Malta. We prove our hounds in the
conformation ring, lure coursing, open field coursing, and many other athletic
venues.
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Why
Naha? Several years ago, I was reading E.A. Wallis Budge's
hieroglyphic dictionary. I found a word that meant "contrary
winds." That seems to me the epitome of this breed! They
run like the wind, but only exactly where they want to go.
This is often contrary to where you want them to go! I
know many modern Egyptologists have lost their respect for Budge's work
and follow the writings of later scholars. However, this was
just too perfect, so I adopted the phonetic pronunciation of this
hieroglyph for my kennel name. |
This page was last updated on
January, 2011.
