Page 36 - The Sloughi Review - Issue 6
P. 36
T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 3 6
Figure 14: Tribute Scene Beit-el-Wali Temple Ramesses II
A Tribute Scene of Ramesses II with lop- Excavations in the Azawakh area (26)
eared, smooth-haired Sighthounds can also (Sahel) have brought to light skeletons
be found being given by the Nubians (Fig. including three dogs, which apparently
14). If Egyptian sources are closely studied, had been buried. Two out of the three
there are several indications of imports of were of a Sighthound type. They come
hunting dogs from “Central Africa”, mostly from a Sudanese culture from the end of
via the Kushite Nubians, which were also the stone-age at the time of a last wet
given as tribute payments. period in this area between 2600 and
1800 BC.
We note that there is no evidence of imports
into Egypt from the Mesopotamian region As mentioned earlier, there is no evidence
(which would then have to be more similar of dogs imported into Egypt from the
to both types of Tesem). Mesopotamian region which would then
have to be more similar to the older type
In the period leading up to the Egyptian of a Tesem, but at the same time there
New Kingdom, the Sahara was a tree are imports twice, in the period of
savanna, and it was in places fertile with Thutmose III to Amenhotep II (27), and
game very productive. Ramesses II, with an indication of their
origin being from the Nubian Kushites
(28).
