Page 41 - The Sloughi Review - Issue 6
P. 41
T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 4 1
Figure 22: The Meidum geese; 2575-2551 BC; painted gypsum; 27 x 172 cm; Egyptian Museum (Cairo)
However, Ibn Khaldun uses the term Ancient Egyptian art is characterized on
‘arabization’ (36) differently from what we the one hand, by a strict formalization
do today: we use the term in the sense of a and canonization, and on the other hand,
genetic ‘conversion’ but in fact it is a by a high degree of naturalism and
displacement or overlapping of the accurate detail (fig.22).
Berber culture by the Arab, in which the
Berber written culture has largely been lost. Naturalism predominates in depictions of
nature, of plants and animals, but also in
Finally, much of Spain’s Muslim conquest artisanal, agricultural and other practical
had been carried out, particularly at the activities such as shipping, hunting and
outset, by Berber tribes, which have also fishing. For example, the species of
built their own emirates or caliphates, animals presented, domestic as well as
namely the Almohads (37) and Almoravids wild, can usually be correctly zoologically
(38). identified.
DIVERSION III – PICTORIAL The idea of the “Sighthound in ancient
REPRESENTATION OF SIGHTHOUNDS IN Egypt” assumes that there was only one
ANCIENT EGYPT dog of the Basenji type, the older Tesem.
It is well known that funerary cults played a However, it should be noted that there
crucial role in ancient Egypt. Modern are already two reliefs from adult lop-
viewers are skeptical of that ancient artwork eared dogs in the so-called Old Kingdom,
- what is actually being depicted, can we from approximately 2700 to 2200 BC (40).
trust what we see in the art? Should this
be taken seriously? In modern art It can be assumed that the early high
perception, it would not in any way be cultures, such as those of Egypt and
important whether the dog has prick-ears or Mesopotamia, were aware of the practice
lop-ears, for example. Artists insist on their of obtaining desired characteristics in
freedom of performance. However, this is dogs through selection. However, it is not
not the case in the art of ancient Egypt (39). possible to speak of different breeds in
the modern sense.
