Šunys Lietuvoje XIII-XVIII amžiuje
LTŠi kolektyvinė monografija yra skirta šunų, gyvenusių Lietuvoje XIII–XVIII a., istorijai. Tirdami jų kaulus, plytose ir kituose molio dirbiniuose aptiktus pėdsakus ir pasitelkę istorinius duomenis mokslininkai pasakoja, kaip atrodė Lietuvoje auginti šunys, kuo jie mito, nuo kokių ligų kentėjo, kam buvo naudojami. Skaitant šią knygą galima sužinoti, kuo skyrėsi viduramžiais ir naujaisiais laikais auginti šunys. Mokslininkai pateikia atsakymą, kodėl nuo ~ XVIII a. nebeaptinkame didžiausiųjų šunų, kurių yra apstu viduramžiais, kaip skyrėsi pilyse ir miestuose gyvenusių keturkojų sveikata, mityba ir gyvenimo sąlygos. Išsamūs tyrimų rezultatai leidžia pažinti šunų laidojimo tradicijas, sužinoti, kaip vykdavo medžioklės, kaip atrodė ir kokiomis savybėmis pasižymėjo medžiokliniai šunys, kodėl jų buvo nevalia pardavinėti. Besidomintieji vietinių šunų veislių istorija galbūt nustebs sužinoję, kad dar prieš gerą šimtmetį, be lietuviškų skalikų, pas mus buvo auginama ir kitų vietinių tipų šunų. [Anotacija knygoje]
ENThe aim of this work was to review the data on the history of dogs in the 13th and 18th centuries and to complement it with important facts from the 12th and 19th centuries. Of course, we have not found all the answers to all the questions raised, and we have not yet tried out all the methods of analysing the primary source material, but the abundant data on the history of dogs in Lithuania reveals a colourful picture ofthe history of our four-legged friends. The written sources examined provided important information on the nutrition, treatment and care ofpedigree dogs. It can be stated that breeding dogs received a complete diet of plant-based feed with various supplements of animal origin. Thus, the practice of feeding dogs in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 16th century differed little from the general European tradition, which was influenced by publications on dog care. Historical evidence suggests that the diet of pedigree dogs was relatively complete, whereas dogs living in urban and rural areas were likely to have had a much poorer diet. Archaeological evidence for the treatment of dogs and other animals in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania dates to the end of the 14th century, while written records of dog treatment reflect 16th century practices. An analysis of the written records reveals some of the most common causes of canine diseases. Some dogs sustained injuries during hunting, other injuries were a result of dog ,education‘ / training/play (what we would now call an assault on a pet). In the specialised literature on dog breeding, contemporaries describe a whole range of infectious diseases (ulcers, dental diseases, vomiting, diarrhoea) and parasites mange, lice, worms) that plagued dogs. Written records show that pets were cared for primarily for pragmatic reasons, not out of unconditional love (in the modern sense).On the one hand, sources analysed during the study do not deny the existence of an affectionate relationship between the owner and his pet, but on the other hand, the records often bear witness to cruel treatment of pets. In the 18th century, the first veterinary school in the Republic of the Two Nations was established in Grodno, and its founder, Professor J. E. Ziliber, founded a school (academy) in 1776 to train doctors and veterinarians. At that time, there was a great need for specialists who could treat animals, and the school produced only a small number of necessary specialists. As expected, zooarchaeological research has revealed a wide variety of dogs bred in the Middle Ages and the modern era. Osteometric analysis has shown developmental peculiarities of dog morphotypes and differences between dogs bred in different social and cultural environments. The largest dogs and, in general, the greatest variety of dogs were found in medieval castles. Meanwhile, dogs in towns and cities were often of medium height and build. These differences in dog morphotypes can be attributed to the different purposes of castle and town dogs. Over the centuries, the types of dogs bred have changed. In the Middle Ages, greyhounds and very large dogs were not uncommon, and in modern times they are almost unheard of. During this period, we observe a general decline in the size ofdogs, with the majority ofdogs bred beingmedium-sized dogs morphotypically similar to the hound. This trend is also confirmed by the descriptions of hunting dogs in Lithuania and neighbouring countries in the 19th century. During the research, a number of archaeological dogs osteometrically close to various modern dog breeds - Lithuanian hounds, German Shorthaired Pointers, and greyhounds - were found. However, this only indicates the overall osteometric similarity of one individual to other dogs and is not indicative of the overall morphotype of the individual under study.Osteometric studies do not reveal the coat type, colour, eye or tail shape or any other features ofthe dog, and the similarity recorded is purely coincidental and not the result of purposeful selection from the medieval or modern period to the present. The current dog breeds have only been formed in the last 200 years, so it is not appropriate to look for „breeding“ dogs in earlier periods. Of course, every modern breed has a legacy from earlier times, and the old local breeds are usually characterised by a unique relationship with the animals that have lived in the area since ancient times. Therefore, looking at the early 20th century Lithuanian hound-like dogs and reading the descriptions ofsuch dogs, we can be sure that in the 18th century or even earlier, our lands were populated by quadrupeds closely resembling present-day Lithuanian hounds, the features of which were probably also present in the dogs described in this work. In the 19th century, most dogs in Lithuania and the surrounding countries were selected for their working qualities, and there is no doubt that this was the trend in previous centuries. The 19th century press and photographs give a detailed picture ofthe hunting dogs bred in Lithuania. Taking into account the slow pace of innovation on the farm, conservative hunting traditions and trends in breeding hunting dogs, and the results of zooarchaeological research, it is possible to get a fairly clear idea ofwhat the four-legged animals ofprevious centuries looked like and what lives they lived in Lithuania. [...]. [From the publication]
- Marvelė. Bd. 1, Ein Gräberfeld Mittellitauens / Mindaugas Bertašius. Kaunas, 2005. 296 p.
- Rotušės aikštė 13 / Dainius Balčiūnas. Archeologiniai tyrinėjimai Lietuvoje. 2012, 2011 metais, p. 380-386.
- Vidurio Lietuva VIII-XII amžiais : disertacija / Mindaugas Bertašius. Vilnius, 1998. [157] lap.
- XIV a. sodyboje (viršutinis Kernavės miestas) iškastos osteologinės medžiagos analizė / Jurgita Baublienė ... [et al.]. Lietuvos archeologija. 2004, t. 26, p. 161-166.
