Giovanni Padrone 🇺🇦

Central Asian dogs evolved from hunters to cultural icons, becoming vital resources and companions. Explore their journey in my #book "Heaven can wait", dedicated to the dogs of Asia, Indonesia, and the Indo-Pacific.

In the ancient world, dogs remained vital for both work and ritual. Often depicted in cult scenes and found in tombs, they held a deep symbolic role in the beliefs and culture of the time.

In the Bronze Age, Central Asian dogs expanded their roles beyond hunting to guarding cities and assisting in agriculture. Sculptures and bas-reliefs even reveal their use as war dogs, proving they had become an integral part of both daily life and military activity.

In Central Asia's Neolithic, dogs became vital for hunting and guarding. Archaeological evidence from this period highlights their close bond with humans through scenes of domestic protection and the hunt.

From the Neolithic to the Christian era, Central Asian #dogs evolved from practical hunters and guards into vital cultural and symbolic figures within their societies. #DogsofBluesky #history #art #asia

Learn how ancient peoples revered dogs as guides to the afterlife. Search for MIGRATIONS now and discover how dogs helped shape the history of the New World!

In my #book 'MIGRATIONS: Ancient Dogs of the Americas', you’ll discover the latest insights in genetics and archaeozoology, tracing the dog’s evolution from the Paleolithic to the rise of Mesoamerican civilizations—and the birth of the mysterious Xoloitzcuintle.

These ancient companions weren’t just animals—they were part of human society. Dogs found in Koster Cave, Illinois (9,500 y.a.), were medium-small, similar to Nordic spitz breeds, and genetically linked to Siberian dogs. Their careful burial shows the deep emotional bond between humans and #pets.

The oldest domestic dog remains date between 10,000 years ago—like the femur head found on Wrangell Island, Alaska, dated to 10,200 years ago. This supports the theory of early coastal migration. And new genetic evidence suggests dogs were present in North America as early as 12,000 years ago!

The history of #dogs in #America is older and more mysterious than we think. Human migrations from #Asia occurred between 22,000 years ago and the Neolithic, first by sea and later across the Bering land bridge. But dogs didn’t arrive immediately.

FOUR-LEGGED PIONEERS: THE OLDEST DOGS OF AMERICA!

Imagine a frozen world, where the first humans embarked on an epic journey to conquer a new continent. They weren’t alone: dogs were with them—the true four-legged pioneers! #DogsofBluesky #history #genetics #art #dog

I dedicated several passages of my #books "ORIGINS - IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT DOG BREEDS" and "ROMA CANES MUNDI" to the observation skills of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
If you are interested in discovering how the ancients saw and understood the animal world, I invite you to read these books.

The ancient Romans, following the example of the Greeks, also paid great attention to the animal kingdom. Their artworks and writings show a deep respect and understanding of #animals.

These #artworks not only show the artistic mastery of the Greeks, but also reflect their deep connection with the natural world, as in the case of the Of the three figurines presented here. All three are from the 5th/4th century BC, all three depicting mothers caring for their pups. Cretan #hounds.

His observations on the behavior of some cephalopods and on the dance of bees are still considered valid and relevant today.

In the world of Greek art, numerous artists have dedicated themselves to the depiction of animals, particularly #horses and #dogs.

Ancient #Greece was the cradle of many philosophers who devoted their attention to the animal kingdom. Among these, the figure of #Aristotle stands out, who can be considered a precursor of modern #biology and #ethology. #stem #science #ancienthistory #DogsofBluesky #pets

Thank you. In reality, AI does much simpler things: it identifies the type of dog based on the shape and size of its skull and bones size, then creates a "live" version. What can make the difference is short coat, as in this case, or wired or rogue-like coat.

Free-roaming dogs tend to have a similar morphotype, so I'm not surprised your Otis looked like the dog I reconstructed using AI.

To understand how archaeozoological and artistic discoveries reconstruct this history, #ROMA CANES MUNDI offers a detailed and in-depth vision of this fascinating bond. It is a long journey into Roman society, in search of the canine types of the time. #dogspics #booksky📚🐕📜 #history

Herding Dogs – Roman canine selection also included the first herding dogs, or “wolf-like” specialized in guiding flocks and herds to pasture. Their existence is historically attested by Marcus Terentius Varro in his Rerum Rusticarum (37 BC), and they appear in other artworks.

Large Guardians – Big dogs, such as #mastiffs or molossians, were employed as guardians of livestock and villas (domus). Though their appearance was often “grim” to deter intruders, their care and health were carefully considered, as shown in agricultural treatises and archaeological finds.

#Sighthounds and #Hounds – The elegance and speed of sighthounds were celebrated by poets such as Martial and Arrian, who meticulously described their hunting skills. These dogs, including Mediterranean hounds (like the Cretan Hound), symbolized power and mastery over nature. #Crete

Dogs fulfilled every social and economic need:
Small Companion Dogs – widespread and highly appreciated, from spitz-type to brachycephalic or brachymelic dogs, ideal for domestic life and for hunting parasites in homes. Funerary steles and epitaphs testify to the intense affection. #archaeology

If you had been fortunate enough to be a person of some importance, you might have met Hadrian the Great in the 2nd century. You would have been surprised by the deep respect he had for his horses and dogs, to the point of building tombs for them after their death. #dogsofluesky #Rome #books #stem

Let us imagine going back almost 2,000 years, to the Roman Imperial period. Among the many features that united the urban centers of the Empire, one would have fascinated any dog lover or “heretical” scholar of canine origins: the presence of #dogs living alongside both the poor and the emperor.

#dogs - THE SEVEN OLDEST LIVING BREEDS #stem #ancienthistory #genetics #pets YouTube video by Dogs_Historian - Giovanni Padrone

#dogs THE 7 OLDEST LIVING BREEDS
Here's the RANKING of the 7 oldest living #breeds according to genetics.
🐶🤣🖖 No mistreated any fortune teller, local magician or charlatan😉
For more info read my #books about the origins of the dog.
#stem #dogsofbluesky #genetics
youtube.com/shorts/fTegZ...

I wrote about the Chavin, Paracas and their dogs in my book:
MIGRATIONS – Ancient Dogs of the Americas
Available in English, Spanish and Italian.
A journey into obscure gods, lost cultures… and extraordinary dogs.
#Zooarchaeology #DogHistory #AncientAmerica #latinos

The #Paracas also lived with dogs, but the remains were too fragmentary to identify types.
Still, their presence confirms early human-canine coexistence in the Andes, long before colonial records.

One jaw found in 1991 resembled a #dog similar to the modern Peruvian hairless breed.
It may be a furred ancestor.
At the time, the FOXI3 mutation was unknown, and the remains were attributed to the ‘Perro viringo’—but no further studies followed.

mother dog with puppies - Chavin Culture

Double Headed dog - Paracas Culture

The Paracas settled around Ica, on Peru’s southern coast.
Both cultures were among the first in South America to coexist with #dogs.
The Chavin lived with at least two types: one large and robust, the other more slender.