BASENJI
AFRICA DOG
Information worth knowing about Basenjis
Taf. XVI-XVII
Bilderwelten und Weltbilder der Pharaonen Philipp v. Zabern Vlg.
Do Basenjis originate from Africa ? Yes
Basenji with Bell in the camp of the Efe pygmies 1990
Photo William F. Wheeler
Is the Basenji homeland Africa? Yes.
THEORIES
Is the Sahara the background of the basenjis? Supposable Yes
Dogs are probably the oldest domesticated animals. Josef H. Reichholff
The most convincing theory on the origin of Basenjis involves early dogs that are known in the East African Kisuahelian Schensi dogs relies on paintings in the Sahara of Northern Africa. They were made useful in hunting.
The original Basenjis belong to the Schensi dogs of the equatorial range, distinguished by erect ears, a reddish fur, and short hair. Schensis are among the oldest members of the canis familaris race. During all periods, dogs, including Basenjis, were used in sacrificial rituals.
Schensi dogs cave paintings Teshouinat Photo Sahara Art Rupestre
Rock Paintings with hunting dogs Tandrart Photo Peter v. Sengbusch
In the then still fertile Sahara, a Savannah landscape inhabited by nomads, wild animals were domesticated. The nomads began to raise domestic animals, the first of which probably was the dog, because it was helpful in hunting. Due to climate change (brought about by changes of the direction of the monsoon winds) the Sahara desert developed and the early men migrated in the 7,000 to 5,000 BC period with their Basenji-like hunting dog to the Nile. The people became settlers. Thousands of years BC, the age of the pharaohs ascended at the Nile.
Drawing on a petroglyph
It shows hunting dogs very similar to Basenjis. They have erect ears, high on the legs and a curled tail. The drawings were created in Africa at the same time of the Neolithic Saharan Culture thousands of years BC. It is known from the same period that there are cave paintings from southern Africa.
Limestone Stele with dogs
Detail from a bas-relief on the Mastaba of Akhethotep
bleedingeyeballs.com/basenjiart/artifacts.htm
May be a Basenji with a duck ?
It is possible that Basenjis arrived in Egypt from Central Africa, Chad, Somalia or the Congo region, where they still exist to this day. They may have been brought as trophies or presents for the pharaohs together with the pygmies These “dwarfs” as sacral dancers were of immeasurable value to the Pharaohs. In one travel diary of the only female pharaoh Hatschepsut 1490 - 1468 BC can mention be found about dogs that were brought along from the country Punt, the Somalia of today. Were these dogs Basenjis?
Another hypothesis is saying that the first Basenjis were taken from Egypt to other regions, or vice versa along with merchandise or on warpath. A proof is not possible yet, since there are no known written documents on it. As the Pharaohs age declined the Basenjis as hunting dogs were adopted by nomadic tribesmen and were spread in several areas of Africa. More recently, European Africa explorers discovered Basenjis in Central Africa. Dr. Georg Schweinfurth was the first explorer Africa Explorer to report on Basenjis and in doing so created curiosity about these dogs. He assigned them to the class of Spitz dogs. In 1937, their breeding Breeding Start was begun in England.
More information in the book BASENJI DOG FROM THE PAST by Forrest Bryant Johnson
