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Man’s Best Friend: The History of Dog Domestication

Khalid Elhassan June 3, 2025 16 min

3. Dogs in Myth, Symbolism, and Ritual

Dogs - A second century BC sculpture of dogs — A second century BC sculpture of dogs. Vatican Museums

From ancient Egypt to Norse mythology, dogs occupy rich symbolic roles. They appear as guardians, guides of souls, protectors, and omens. In ancient Egypt, dogs and jackals were associated with death and the afterlife. Anubis, god of embalming, guided souls through the underworld. To the ancient Greeks and Romans, dogs symbolized loyalty and vigilance. The three-headed dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to Hades.

In Norse mythology, Garmr, a monstrous hound, guarded the realm of the dead. In Hinduism, dogs are both revered and feared. Bhairava, a fierce form of Shiva, is often accompanied by a dog. In Native American cultures, dogs were often seen as spiritual companions, and dog burials have been found across North America, which illustrates their ritualistic significance.

Written by

Khalid Elhassan

A lifelong history buff, I developed a particular passion for WW2 history as a child, when I spent hours listening to my grandfather, enraptured, as he recounted his wartime experiences in the British East African Campaign and with the British 8th Army in North Africa.

I graduated with a history BA from George Mason University, then went on to get a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. After lawyering for a decade, I moved to sunny Rio de Janeiro and a less demanding career, opening a tourism agency in Copacabana.

A big chunk of my free time is spent blogging (you can follow me on Quora https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Elhassan ) or freelance writing, mostly about my favorite subject, history.