February 26, 2009

Ceramic Shar Pei

http://www.imamuseum.org/explore/artwork/2002


Asian Art (Chinese and other Asian)
seated shar pei dog

Artist unknown
Creation date about 120 Dynasty Eastern Han dynasty
Materials ceramic

Credit line Eleanor Evans Stout and Margaret Stout Gibbs Memorial Fund in Memory of Wilbur D. Peat, Director of Indianapolis Museum of Art 1929 - 1965
Accession number 1999.2
Gallery Label



According to DNA analysis, the shar pei is one of the most ancient breed of dogs.
Such large dogs as this were popular companions in burial chambers in the region of Sichuan province, which is east of Tibet.
Once the guard dog of the royal family, the breed almost became extinct and was even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the rarest dog in the world."

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