Page 30 - The Sloughi Review - Issue 9
P. 30
T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 3 0
Althiburos, Tunisia, end of 3rd century AD, detail, catching the hare,
forerunner of the Sloughis © M. Ayeb, G. Mermet
In the mosaics we have seen exclusively The muzzle is slightly longer with a slightly-
illustrations of the type of the forerunners upward tending line, just as the ears are also
of the Sloughis, which were native to larger, which are also carried slightly
North Africa. In the increasingly vivid differently than those of the dogs shown so
scenes, which are convincing through an far. The dog appears somewhat slimmer
incredibly precise observation of details than the dogs seen so far.
and thus also knowledge, one has a very
good idea of the individual participants in Arrian describes the Vertragus very
the hunt, especially the fast sighthounds. precisely, for example the ears and the neck:
This type has a straight back, a rather
straight tail, a flat, broad head and "The ears should be long and floppy in bitches,
obviously they are all smooth coated. And so that they appear bent over because of the
the ears are all as we see them in the dog length and floppiness. This is best, but even if
of Volubilis. they appear straight, it is not bad, as long as
they are not short and stiff. The neck should
After we have always been dealing with the not only be long, but also round and supple ..."
same type of sighthound, another type (15).
appears in the mosaic of El Jem: also sand-
coloured, also black (mantled), but with a The tail is described as follows: "... the tail
rounded back, slimmer than the dogs thin and long, densely haired, supple and
shown so far, with a curved, long tail curved ..." (16).
ending in an open curl towards the tip of
the tail.
