Friday Headlines
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Animals in the Ancient World
27 November 2020
Girls in Senior School had a fascinating talk on ‘Animals in the Ancient World’ on Thursday, 19th November from Dr Emily Kneebone of the University of Nottingham.
This well-structured presentation designed specifically for the girls discussed how Romans had several myths and tales about different animals such as dogs, ants and dolphins. The Romans had weasels as pets instead of having cats, as they believed cats were for Egyptians. They also thought dogs were not pets but instead tamed wolves. Romans associated ants with the characteristics of being hardworking, clever and sophisticated. This led to ants being celebrated in stories such as Aesop’s fables.
The Romans believed that having mosaics of dogs in their houses would protect them from any evil or untoward incidents. Romans would even go to the extent of engraving human tombstones with a picture of a dog to protect the dead person within.
We are grateful to Dr Kneebone for bringing such an enlightening experience to the school.
By Anya De, 7ML
