Name/Title
Ceramic DogDescription
Small ceramic dog, measures 10x7x4" in height and it is sitting upright. Looks like it was previously painted, of which has since faded. Not hollow, missing its right ear. Has well detailed eyelashes tooContext
The dog is the 11th animal in the Chinese zodiac, and it is estimated they were domesticated in China around 15,000 years ago, meaning that it is the oldest domesticated animal in Chinese history. They were used as guard dogs, to transport goods, for herding and hunting, and eaten as a food source. They were seen less as pets and more as workers, and they also symbolized a link between the living and the dead. There are many stories of dogs being important beings in Chinese folklore. For example, there is one that says that dogs were the ones who brought the first grain seeds for people to plant. The story is that God had made the land plentiful of grain, but he was furious with the ways that people were using it, and so he tried to repossess all of the grain, but a dog stopped him and convinced him to leave some of the seeds for people to plant. Dogs are also seen as very loyal beings and are said to posess protective qualities and so statues of them will be used to guard homes (see foo-dogs). They were also said to protect their owners in the afterlife as well. Overall, dogs hold a very important place in Chinese symbolism, culture, mythology, and folklore, along with their practical uses.