denser coat to protect it from the Hunting Hounds along the Silk colder climate [Fig. 2]. Road – Which Way Did They Go? It has been shown recently that the dog was first domesticated Sir Terence Clark from the wolf in Eastern Asia and London spread outwards from there across the world probably about 15,000 years ago or possibly In 2001 I journeyed for the first their long limbs, deep chest, 40,000 years ago (Savolainen et time along part of the Silk Road tucked up waist, wedge-shaped al.). According to the Russian from Khiva to Bukhara, head on a long neck, pendulous cynologist V. A. Gorodtsov hunting Samarkand, Tashkent, Bishkek, ears and whippy tail, have been and other types of specialised Lake Issyk-kul and Almaty to known to exist in Western Asia dogs emerged in Central Asia in realise an ambition I had nurtured since at least the fourth the Neolithic period (8-10,000 since studying Russian at millennium BCE. Archaeological BCE) (Plakhov and Shelestova Cambridge years before. The evidence from this period in the forthcoming). This accords with following year I journeyed along shape of seal impressions from archaeological evidence in another part from Bishkek over Tepe Gawra in the Tien Shan to Kashgar, then northern Iraq through the oasis towns on the shows repre- southern side of the Taklimakan sentations of before crossing the desert to the such hounds in northern oases and on to pursuit of Dunhuang, finally leaving via cervidae (Clark Urumqi to Almaty. During these 1995, 132). journeys I came across various Similar hounds, hunting hounds peculiar to Central though with dis- Asia but similar in many aspects tinctive pricked to the Saluki, the hunting hound ears and a tail of the Middle East, where I had curled over the spent much of my professional back and gener- career. I was curious to know ally known as whether there was indeed a Tesem also occur relationship between them and, if in Ancient Egypt Fig. 2. Central Asian Tazy in Kazakhstan. Photograph so, whether these hounds owed from ca. 3,750- copyright © 2007 Terence Clark. their origins to Western or Central 3,400 BCE Asia. (Brewer 2001, 32). In the absence Western Asia and leaves a of evidence elsewhere to the considerable period of millennia Hunting hounds of the Saluki contrary, it would seem likely that for distinctive breeds of hunting family [Fig. 1], characterised by the Saluki type of hunting hound hounds to have developed before emerged first on the great the advent of the Arabian Saluki plains of Mesopotamia, to Central Asia, which Russian where they were used for cynologists, such L. P. Sabaneev, hunting mainly by sight the A. A. Sludskii and E. I. whole range of the abundant Shereshevskii, generally agree game then to be found came in the wake of the Muslim there, as well as predators conquests in the 7th and 8th such as fox, jackal and wolf. centuries and was crossed with However it cannot be local breeds to produce the Central excluded that among the Asian Tazy (Ibid.). Sabaneev says nomadic tribes of Central that the admixture of blood from Asia, who may have left few these local breeds brought about tangible clues, similar a change in the smooth-haired requirements for a hunting Saluki’s appearance to a longer hound on the steppes and coat, fringes, pendulous ears and semi-deserts there may a generally coarser build. He does have shaped a similar kind not specify what these local Fig. 1. Smooth-haired Iraqi Saluki. Photo- of hound, possibly with a breeds were but only that they graph copyright © 2007 Terence Clark.
60 Scythians’ British Library on the Silk Road in splendid 2004 there were two 7th century examples of the Tang dynasty terra cotta figurines goldsmith’s art, of such hounds in unmistakable including the poses: one sitting upright and the famous pectoral other crouching on the crupper of from the Tolstaia a horse behind its huntsman Mogila, showing master [Fig. 4]. A magnificent smooth-haired mural in an imperial 7th century hounds with Tang tomb near Chang’an shows either pricked or a falconer with a Sparrowhawk on cropped ears in his arm accompanied by a pursuit of hare beautifully represented feathered (Przezdziecki Saluki (Whitfield 1999, 89). A 9th- 2001, 67). The century painted scroll in the British Seleucids’ capital Museum of the Paradise of at Seleucia in Bhasajyaguru from Dunhuang in Fig. 3. Petroglyph from Kazakhstan. Photograph copy- contemporary the time of the Tang dynasty right © 2006 Renato Sala of the International Scientific Iraq was retained shows a smooth-haired hound Projects of the Laboratory of Geo-archaeology, Almaty. by their suc- Saluki reaching for a piece of Reproduced with permission. cessors — the meat. Another Tang painting Parthians, though shows two Salukis in a butcher’s were longhaired mountain dogs the following Sasanians built a new with pendulous ears (Sabaneev town at Ctesiphon on the opposite 1993, 13). side of the Tigris in 226 CE — and was the great hub controlling However this attribution of the international trade from Rome to origin of the Tazy to the eastward China that became known as the movement of Salukis with the Silk Road (Valtz Fino 2005, 149). conquering Arabs seems to Much of this trade for some 500 overlook other evidence that years was in the hands of the suggests the presence of very Sogdians, based around Bukhara, similar smooth-haired hunting Samarkand and the Ferghana hounds in the region at much valley, who were for long exposed earlier dates, which might equally to Hellenistic influence, not least have contributed to the since Alexander’s wife Roxanne development of the Tazy. There was a Sogdian (Sinor 1990, 175). are for example petroglyphs from So it is entirely possible that Saluki the 1st and 2nd millennium in hounds were being conveyed Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that eastwards along that route well show stylised dogs in hunting before the Arab conquests. Indeed scenes, though in general they if we look further east in China in appear to have pricked ears and the Qin Period (221-207 BCE) we an upward curling tail more like find funerary bricks from noble Fig. 4. Tang dynasty figurine. Photo- the Tesem of Ancient Egypt [Fig. graph copyright © 2007 Victoria and tombs with graphic examples of 3]. Albert Museum. Reproduced with per- smooth-haired hunting hounds mission. In the 4th century BCE with cropped or pricked ears in Alexander the Great and his hunting scenes (Przezdziecki shop, while a Song dynasty colour Seleucid successors had 2001, 98). Similar hounds appear and ink on silk painting from the established an empire from the on stamped bricks (Ibid.) and in 10th century shows three mounted Mediterranean to Afghanistan and stone reliefs (Schafer 1985, 77) hunters carrying unmistakable the Indus. It is known that the later in the Han Period (206-220 Salukis on their horses (Waters Greeks used Saluki-like hounds for CE). and Waters 1984, 92, 40). Much hunting. Indeed there are grounds later a Jesuit painter resident in for believing that the very name Be that as it may, it is clear that Beijing in the mid-18th century Saluki comes from the Arabic word by the 7th century hounds looking painted several Salukis for a Saluqi for Seleucid (Smith 1980). remarkably like contemporary presentation album to the The Greeks traded with western Salukis were being represented in Qianlong Emperor, though it is Central Asia and their influence art across Central Asia and China. suggested that foreign dignitaries can be seen in some of the In a remarkable exhibition at the may have given them as tribute
61 Greyhound; yet it hounds, particularly since the was not a Saluki departure of many of the ethnic either. All their Russian population, and I had keeper could tell given up all thought of seeing any us was that this more hunting hounds. It was hound and all the therefore a pleasant surprise to be others we saw greeted on arrival in Tash Rabat there had come by a hound with a dense black coat originally from that the local Kyrgyz called a Russia and that Taigan [Fig. 7]. This breed is he used them for particular to the high mountains seeking out fallen where it has developed the ability gazelle in the to hunt all manner of animals in Fig. 5. Mounted Berkutchis and Tazys in Kyrgyzstan. Pho- reserve. During a the rare atmosphere above 2,500 tograph copyright © 2007 Terence Clark, from original visit to Russia in m even in the depths of winter. It on display in Cholpon Ata Museum, Kyrgyzstan. 2004 I saw many appears to be related to the Saluki (Rawski and Rawson 2005, 188- similar hounds, which were called but with a broader head, a stockier 191, 410-411). Hortaya (khortaia) [Fig. 6]. Some build and a dense coat. Russians believe that this breed It proved to be the first of a may have descended from those Against this academic evidence number of such hounds that we smooth-haired hunting hounds I set off to explore for facts on the were to see. We took a walk up shown in the early Scythian ground today. The start in the into the mountains hoping to see representations mentioned walled oasis town of Khiva in into China and on the way came above. western Uzbekistan appeared across a yurt that was protected auspicious as I spotted a Berkut After taking in the many by a red and white Taigan. A or Golden Eagle sitting on a stand. delights of Bukhara, Shakhrisabz woman emerged from the yurt The Berkut is traditionally used who turned out to be someone for hunting right across Central to whom we had given a lift Asia and is often used in earlier. She welcomed us into tandem with Tazys [Fig. 5]. My her yurt and showed us a tiny hopes were soon dashed black Taigan puppy. Her however as it turned out to be husband appeared and said a mere tourist attraction. We that he hunted marmot and crossed the Oxus or Amu Darya mountain goat for the pot, and as it is now called and drove the hounds were very affective parallel with it along the even when the temperature fell southern side of the Kyzyl Kum to –30 degrees C. As we in ideal hunting country but explored further in the area we without success, apart from passed near another yurt from some information about an which a man hailed us, offering oasis town far from our road us hospitality. We declined but that was described as the Fig. 6. Russian Hortaya in Uzbekistan. Pho- asked if there were any Taigans centre for hunting with Tazys. tograph copyright © 2007 Terence Clark. nearby. He indicated a valley However I noticed on the map an area outside Bukhara that was and Samarkand, designated as a gazelle nature we drove on via reserve. I reasoned that if gazelle Tashkent and were indigenous there hunting Bishkek deep into hounds might also be found there. Kyrgyzstan. Our We stopped at the entrance to the destination was a reserve, and I went in with our yurt in the Tien guide to speak to the Director in Shan Mountains charge. Bounding to meet us near the former came the familiar form of what I Silk Road cara- supposed to be a smooth fawn vanserai at Tash Saluki. On closer inspection it Rabat. All along proved to have turned back ears, our route I had which are more commonly been told about associated with Greyhounds, the decline in Fig. 7. Taigan at Tash Rabat. Photograph copyright © though it definitely was not a hunting with 2007 Terence Clark.
62 where we would find some. We round her beautifully decorated By the time of my next trip splashed through an icy mountain yurt, from the roof of which hung along the Silk Road a year later I stream up the valley and around a fur from a fox caught by her had established via the Internet a bend came on another yurt and Taigan. Further on we came across contact with people in Kyrgyzstan a mud-brick house under a young lad walking by the and Kazakhstan so that my search construction. As we approached roadside with a beautiful black and for Central Asian hunting hounds three Taigans rushed out to greet tan hound that had something of was less haphazard. This time my us. They were very friendly and the old-fashioned Bell-Murray type earlier impression of the situation looked in good condition: one of of Afghan Hound about it [Fig. 8]. of these hounds was reinforced Nearby I spotted out both factually and visually. Our of the corner of my guide, Almaz Kurmankulov, was a eye a familiar shape founder of the Kyrgyz Taigan gliding along the Society, which had recorded about base of a farmhouse 200 purebred Taigans and was wall. We made a encouraging breeders to preserve little detour and the breed as part of the nation’s were warmly heritage. Starting in Bishkek he welcomed by the took us first to meet a well-known farmer’s wife and horse and Taigan breeder on his her small bright- farm. Here we saw a number of eyed daughter, who his breeding stock, all of them proudly showed us black and white, with the the black and white distinctive ring at the end of the Taigan bitch, rather tail where the last two vertebrae strangely called are fused together. One bitch was Tarzan, and her five surrounded by a litter of lively Fig. 8. Afghan Hound? Photograph copyright © 2007 tiny puppies. The puppies, two of which were due Terence Clark. bitch gave a warning to be presented later to King Juan growl when I Carlos of Spain. We had intended them was heavily pregnant and stepped too near to take a picture to see one of the kennels on Lake was due to give birth within a few of the puppies and the next thing Issyk-kul, but all the hounds were days. All, we were told, were I knew was that she had bitten me away in the mountains where they excellent hunters. A little further in the ankle, to the mortification spend the summer months with on I saw another Taigan on the of her owner! No serious harm was the flocks and herds. As we were other side of a stream by a small done and I was assured that the to see later this is the bountiful house. As soon as we stopped to bitch had been vaccinated against time for Taigans when marmots get a better look, the door of the rabies, but it was a warning not are abundant, which they catch to house flew open and some young to mess with a Taigan with feed their puppies. Instead we lads rushed out, jumped onto puppies. made a diversion high into the horses and raced across the mountains to visit Zarnai stream towards us, followed by a Sagenbai, one of the few It was clear from all these very lively Taigan puppy. It was remaining Berkutchis in encounters that the Taigan, like only with difficulty that we Kyrgyzstan. We found him and his the Saluki in the Middle East, is managed to extricate ourselves wife at their yurt, outside of which held in a position of high esteem from their pressing invitations to sat a screaming Berkut. Zarnai put both as a pot-filler and as a their house. We did relent further on a demonstration of his skill, companion. However, as in other on where a woman appeared from flying the Berkut from his horse parts of the region, the pressures a small house with a plate of to a lure in the valley below [Fig. of modern life on the habitat of different dairy products: kaimak 9, next page]. He and his sons still the hunting hound’s prey is (a sweet thick cream), curds and flew their eagles to hunt mainly leading to a decline in the numbers cheese with delicious fresh bread. hare for food and fox for fur but of the Taigan and, according to also for wolf to protect their As we descended from the local sources, the carelessness of livestock. In the past they used mountains the next day we passed some of the hunters has resulted to fly them in tandem with Tazys, many yurts and great herds of in some crossing with other as an old photograph in the horses, sheep and cattle — and breeds. Nevertheless in my short Cholpan-Ata Museum illustrated even a few yaks. We stopped at exploration I had seen enough of [Fig. 5, facing page]. one where a woman was making the breed to form the impression little round cheeses (qurut) that that it is still hanging on As on our last trip we made for she was setting out to dry and successfully in this area of Tash Rabat whence we planned to harden in the sun. She showed us Kyrgyzstan. drive over the Torugart Pass into
63 yurt dragged out from her number of raptors of different underground den a very kinds, some of which are there for reluctant bitch to show us breeding and some for her recently born puppies. rehabilitation, after being found There could be no doubt injured, and release into the wild. that in these remote parts Running loose were several Taigans still formed an mature Tazys and puppies, while essential part of the Kyrgyz in well-designed kennels some nomads’ way of life. Tobets padded massively up and down. Both the Tazy and the Tobet Fascinating though the have suffered from a decline in journey along the Silk numbers and in quality, and the Road through the Uighur Centre is endeavouring to Region proved to be, in preserve the breeds and to terms of hunting hounds it encourage their wider distribution. was totally unrewarding. It is hard to judge its success. According to border Certainly I heard of some Kazakhs Fig. 9. Kyrgyz Berkutchi. Photograph copy- officials and our guide, we right© 2007 Terence Clark. who maintained quite large were not allowed to depart kennels of Tazys for hunting on the Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous from the main road to visit Kyrgyz their farms and on the steppe, and Region of China. As we arrived at villages in which I had expressed I met some Tazy breeders in our yurts we were greeted with an interest; so I could not make Almaty. However, the problem is the news that there was a Kyrgyz enquiries there. Among the Uighur also one of changing lifestyles: community some 30 km away with and Han Chinese I met only blank there is no longer the same need Taigans that Almaz was keen to looks when I showed them to hunt for food or for fur, and register. So he and I and a local photographs of the hounds. Yet a younger people are more Russian driver set off to find them. contemporary mural in the Khotan interested in computer games Before long we found ourselves at Museum illustrating medieval than hunting in the often harsh a military checkpoint before the travellers on the Silk Road showed conditions of the steppe. border with China. The prospects in the central foreground an of passing it did not look too good unmistakable Tazy. Throughout my tours I was as neither of my companions had How different was the reception collecting here and there from the passports with them. However a at our final destination in various hunting hounds both friendly officer pointed to a white Kazakhstan! In Almaty Konstantin mtDNA and DNA samples to send house a few hundred metres away Plakhov, a biologist at the Institute to Dr Peter Savolainen in Sweden, where he said we would find many of Zoology and a champion of who is undertaking research into Taigans and allowed us to pass. Kazakhstan’s native breeds, came the origins of dogs. The research, Sure enough we found several to the hotel and took mature hounds there, some with me to call on Askar young puppies that kept popping Raibaev, President out of deep holes in the ground of the Dog Breeding where they lived, protected from Federation of the biting wind and predators. Kazakhstan. As I Almaz duly measured them and entered his house I recorded their details. A young lad almost fell over came up and asked if we would Roshan, a beautiful like to see some more. So under Tazy that occupied his guidance we set off in our much of the centre ancient car across country where of the room with her there was not so much as a dirt eight puppies. Askar Fig. 10. Kazakh Tobet. Photograph copyright © 2007 track. After some while we described the con- Terence Clark. stopped at the top of a bluff from siderable efforts where we could see below a yurt being made to preserve not only which has of course important belching smoke from its chimney: the Tazy but also the Tobet [Fig. implications for the history of we had arrived. Scrambling down 10], a huge shepherd guard dog, mankind in this region, continues, we were met by several Taigans of which I was shortly to see some and in due course it may lead to of different ages and sizes and in specimens at my next stop — the an answer to my initial question no time Almaz was submerged in Sunkar Breeding Centre in a about the western or central Asian a heap of playful puppies, grown beautiful setting outside the town. origins of these hunting hounds fat on regurgitated marmot meat The Centre contains a large along the Silk Road. from their parents. The lady of the
64 About the Author / Al-Saluqi: kalb al-sayd al-sharqi. of T’ang Exotics. Berkeley: Apache Junction, Az.: Midbar, Inc., University of California Press, 1985 The author studied Russian at 1995: 131-134. (1st ed., 1963). Cambridge University while in the Plakhov and Shelestova Sinor 1990 Royal Air Force but on joining the forthcoming British Foreign Service was sent Denis Sinor, ed. The Cambridge to study Arabic at the School of Konstantin N. Plakhov and A. S. History of Early Inner Asia. Oriental and African Studies at Shelestova. Borzye Tazy i okhota Cambridge: Cambridge University London University and at the s nimi. Almaty: forthcoming. Press, 1990, p.175. Middle East Centre for Arab Przezdziecki 2001 Smith 1980 Studies in Lebanon. He spent Xavier Przezdziecki. Our Levriers. G. Rex Smith. “The Arabian much of his career in the Middle Nice: Les Amis de Xavier Hound, the Saluqi — Further East, latterly as Ambassador to Przezdziecki, 2001. (Tr. of Le Consideration of the Word and Iraq and to Oman. In retirement Destin des Levriers. Paris, 1984.) Other Observations on the Breed.” he retains close links with the Bulletin of the School of Oriental Middle East through a number Rawski and Rawson 2005 and African Studies (University of of academic bodies and has Evelyn S. Rawski and Jessica London), 43/3 (1980): 459-465. written extensively in books and Rawson. China: The Three journals on the history and politics Emperors, 1662-1795. London: Valtz Fino 2005 of the region and on the Saluki and Royal Academy of Arts, 2005. Elisabetta Valtz Fino. “In the Wake hunting. E-mail
A Thousand Years on the Silk Road: in six states and performed for over 3000 people. The purpose of Epic Poetry and Music from the the tour was to provide Kyrgyz Republic opportunities for Americans to learn about Central Asian Rysbai Isakov, Epic Singer performance culture from two Akylbek Kasabolotov, Musician talented cultural ambassadors and to provide the artists with Dr. Helen Faller, Anthropologist experiences that would help them to develop their art in new ways. In February-March 2006, with performed episodes from the Video footage of the Kyrgyz generous support from the Kyrgyz national epic Manas, the Cultural Performances concert at Silkroad Foundation, anthro- longest in the world at over half a the University of Texas at Austin pologist Helen Faller toured the million lines, and Akylbek is on view at www. United States with two young Kasabolotov, a member of silkroadfoundation.org and artists from Kyrgyzstan in a series Kyrgyzstan’s Tengir Too realaudio.cc.utexas.edu:8080/ of university residencies called the Ensemble, who shared his ramgen/cola/centers/creees/ Kyrgyz Cultural Performances country’s unique nomadic musical images/media/ Project. The artists were Rysbai traditions. The three of them were kyrgyz_022206E.rm. Information Isakov, a laureate epic singer, who in residence at eight universities about the project can be found on
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