S3 E8 Dogs in the Ancient Americas
In this episode I’ll ask the age old question – who’s a good dog? Dogs were man’s best friend in Americas for 1000’s of years, from Alaska to the tip of Chile. They were pets, cargo haulers, hunting companions, guides to the afterlife, and at times, food. Join me as I discuss what I know about dogs in the ancient Americas.
Show Notes:
Is the so called “Carolina dog” a real native dog?
Its partially native, but most of its genes are Eurasian replacements after European contact.
Fascinating! The ‘terrifying’ South Asian ‘fanged deity’ (Bhairava) is always accompanied by a *black* dog, which is indeed the former’s theriomorph. In one stereotyped depiction, the dog is shown lapping at the blood dripping from the decapitated skull held by the transgressor god. As for the ritualized copulation, the human adepts of the deity became *inwardly* Bhairava thereby, shown graphically in the Moche context through the transformation of physical features. As in the case of the Olmec were-jaguar babies, the cute puppy here invokes the embryogonic regression and rebirth of the adult shaman. The puppy (violating the housewife) IS the shaman!