Study on the Status of Dog in the Rock Art of Middle Zagros

Dogs have been depicted in various scenes and situations in the rock art of the Middle Zagros. Rock art reflects the mentality of our ancestors towards various phenomena and shows their life style. Therefore, due to the various motifs of dog, this animal has been of great importance in the lives of past people and that is why it has been engraved in the petroglyphs and pictographs of most areas of Middle Zagros. The main questions of this study based on these motifs are: What status and value did this animal have in ancient societies? and, in which scenes and subjects are the motifs of dog often depicted? The data of this research have been collected via field and liberary methods and analyzed by descriptive-analytical method. The results show that the dog is depicted as monograph, symmetrically, in groups, in front of the wolf, with other animals, next to human, in hunting scenes and ritual ceremonies. These motifs not only show the predatory nature of dog, but also indicate to its role in improving the human living conditions by participating in hunting, flock protection, companionship in different situations and taking care of its owner in the face of any threat even after his death.