guidance protection loyalty fidelity faithfulness alertness love Mesopotamia Old Babylonian period Neo-Babylonian Ninisina Neo-Assyrian China Korea Japan gi
Dogs were depicted to symbolize guidance, protection, loyalty, fidelity, faithfulness, alertness, and love. In ancient Mesopotamia, from the Old Babylonian period until the Neo-Babylonian, dogs were the symbol of Ninisina, the goddess of healing and medicine, and her worshippers frequently dedicated small models of seated dogs to her. In the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods, dogs were used as emblems of magical protection. In China, Korea and Japan, dogs are viewed as kind protectors.
