Dogs in Athenian Sculpture and Vase Painting of the Archaic and Classical Periods

‘In sum, Katia Margariti’s work is an essential study for anyone interested not only in dogs, but also in animals in the ancient world. It not only substantially enriches our understanding of the Athenian case but, thanks to its methodological approach, also stands as a model for future research in other geographical and cultural contexts. Far from being merely a catalogue of iconographic types and themes, the book approaches dogs as animals in their own right and even offers glimpses into the emotional bonds that may have developed between dogs and humans. For all these reasons, the volume rightfully takes its place within the fields of art history, cultural history, and the study of animals in Antiquity.’ [translated] – Sebastián Uribe Rodríguez (2026): Gerión, 44(1)

‘I confess to being a dog lover, so I am particularly partial to the subject of this book. Dogs, like horses, played an essential role in the lives of ancient Athenians, and this study does justice to their variety, their charm, and their lifelong loyalty to their owners.’ - Jenifer Neils (2026): American Journal of Archaeology Volume 130

‘Overall, Margariti has produced a book that is not only carefully crafted but also of high scientific quality. It addresses a large number of subjects: animal history, but also art history, iconography, studies on religion and society. Vase specialists, for example, will benefit from this book and find new ideas even on famous works (François Vase, p. 71ff.). The author emphasizes the presence of humorous images, such as dogs defecating (p. 118) or sniffing the odor left on the ground by a libation. Margariti is attentive to unusual scenes and canine postures. She notes the function of dogs as space fillers or visual pointers (p. 234). All this nourishes the debate on the status of images and suggests a certain naturalism. Naturalism, realism: these words recur often in Margariti’s writing. This is not, however, a renunciation of methods of analysis that assert that the purpose of images is not merely to represent reality, but an enrichment of these same methods. They oblige us to put ourselves in the place of those who produced these images and those who looked at them. It is clear that some painters or sculptors had real knowledge of dogs. Margariti is also clear on this point: only some displayed such knowledge; others painted impossible canine postures.

Indeed, this is one of the merits of approaching the past through animals: of course, it restores a place to long overlooked actors and renews reflection on many aspects of past societies. Such a book will show that this history is useful, even necessary. Margariti, through her positioning, reveals another advance in historical studies with animals; reducing the latter to the status of symbols, as has long been done,[7] means renouncing the measurement of all that they are. Symbols they certainly are, but not always as much as we have wanted to believe and often, not only that. This insight opens many fascinating avenues; remarks such as that on p. 158 on gestures of affection open the possibility of historicizing the study of anthrozoological relations. The author insists on the interactions of dogs not only with humans but also with other animals and strives to go beyond the necessarily very anthropocentric nature of the documentation.

Such are the major merits of this work, which is moreover abundantly illustrated throughout. It fully deserves its place in libraries and on the tables of researchers, and not only specialists in animal history.’ – Christophe Chand