![]() The first Pharaoh Hounds recorded to have left Malta were in the 1930s, but only in the 1950s and 60s was there a significant effort mounted to establish them in Britain and America. Recent DNA analysis would indicate the breed has no link with Ancient Egypt casting doubts on the myth that the modern Pharaoh Dog is descended from the Tesem, one of the ancient Egyptian hunting dogs. ![]() The dog is traditionally used by some Maltese men for hunting. ![]() The pharaoh hound is known as the Kelb-tal Fenek (which means “Rabbitdog”) in Malta, where it is now the national dog. The isolation of Malta allowed them to breed true for thousands of years, their physiques honed and tested by the need to earn their keep catching rabbits. Yet for centuries, the original Egyptian hounds were assumed to be extinct - until these dogs, almost certainly the descendants of Egyptian hounds traded by sea-going Phoenicians, were discovered on the island of Malta.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |