ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES THAT PROVE THE EXISTENCE, WORK AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE CRETAN TRACER SINCE THE MINOAN ERA, UP TO OUR   DAYS
(texts translated in english by:
Tsagaraki Athanasia
Greek Public School English teacher Graduate of the English Department of the Aristotle University -Thessaloniki) 
Statuette of a Cretan Tracer. The only people among the editors of periodicals concerning hunting, who have expressed an interest for the Cretan Pathfinder since the beginning of the effort, have been the current collaborators of the magazine ‘Kynigesia kai Kynofilia’ and the previous editors of the magazine ‘Kynigi stin Kriti’ (‘Hunting in Crete’), Mr Sophocles Koskinas and his wife Mrs Georgia Melanitou. They have not only published various articles and photographs of the Cretan Pathfinder but they have also been the only ones who have come to our kennel in order to see our dogs and have been very helpful with their advice and kind comments about our effort; so, we are grateful to them for everything. Also, they were the first ones that helped with shows of these dogs that have taken place up to now. When Dr St. Mpasourakos went to Crete for the first time, in 1991 in order to have a close look of the Cretan Tracer , Mr Koskinas offered him this statuette (copy from the prototype that was found in the Museum of Heraklion and which was copied by Mr Mathioudakis Emm. who during that time maintained a shop and a laboratory with copies of archaeological items). 
Minoan Larnax 1750 B.C. This was found in the region of Ierapetra and is exhibited in the town’s museum. It depicts hunting of Chamois with Cretan Tracers. The evidence that this Larnax gives us, is, first of all, the morphology of the dog with the erect ears, the curled tail and the sharp muzzle. Also, we can see their size and compare it to other findings that will be presented next, as well as compare it to the size of the Chamois. Still, the fact that they chase Chamoes is an important element. Even today, it is known that the Chamois, due to its tactic, cannot be chased and captured by any other dog (just as the wild boar) but, by a tracer. This is an important fact on which we base our deduction that during the Minoan era, the dog that was being used was the tracer because of its hunting and tracing abilities. 
The whole larnax is decorated with hunting images. We can see hunters with spears, dogs running loose, some kept in lease and being in herds of 3-4 individuals. The chamois are preferably male, something that perhaps explains that the Cretans were conscientious hunters as they respected the females, and they would not hunt them, knowing that each male kept a small herd of females, ensuring in this way, their reproduction. During that era and up to1750 A.D. wild boars have also existed in Crete, but they have never been a hunting target as they were considered holy. This belief was based on a certain religious conviction, according to which, Zeus had been bred by a kind of boar. Thus, at least until today, the overwhelming majority of our archaeological discoveries presents our dog chasing, the chamois, the hare and only in two cases, the boar.
Here, we observe that although the dog may be about 60 cm. taller compared to the modern Chamois, it is presented as having the same shape. The skull and the muzzle are long, the ears are completely erect, the tail is curved upwards, the body is thin and the legs are high. It is possible that there had been two types of dogs, the medium-small sized and the tall one. This is evident today, as we have Cretan tracers whose size varies from 48cm. and reaches up to 64cm. Of course, in the future and after the breed escapes from the danger of disappearance, it would be practical to separate individuals in 2 types, that is to say the medium-sized Cretan tracer and the tall Cretan tracer. It is true that the medium-sized proves to be more appropriate, at least in Crete, for hunting the hare. The tall ones have proved to be performing more efficiently in the plains of Macedonia and Thessaly. Of course, there are some who have been using it in wild boar hunting and thus they prefer it bigger sized and more powerful.
Based on the above stone seals and coins we can understand the importance of the dog for the Ancient Cretan people, as its image had been used on seals and it had also been a beloved subject in various pieces of jewellery and coins. In all these discoveries the form that the dog had during the time is evident, and this is maintained until today. These discoveries are all of the Minoan period, meaning before 1500 B.C. and they were found in various parts of Crete
This representation was curved on a golden ring, which its owner used as a stamp on fresh clay tiles; the stamped tiles were then baked and used as identification. This stamp was used, that is to say, as an identity for the product and for commercial use. For the archaeologists, of course, it is not only a hunting representation but also an astral representation about which the Cretan people narrated stories and sang songs. Perhaps, it represented an incident unknown to us. The astral representation indicates that the Chamois represents the constellation of Aigagros with its satellites, the constellation of ‘Kynes’,that is Canis Major and Canis Minor, just under the constellation of Orion, ‘Orionas’  - who, as we know from the mythology, was the first hunter.
This is one of the 4 copies of a ring that Mr. Markakis, a goldsmith from Sitia, manufactured. The same tools were used and the same process was followed as for all jewels at that time. The tools with which it was manufactured are also copies of prototypes that were found in an ancient gold mine. The representation we see above is the imprint that the ring leaves if we sink it in fresh clay. It is one of the important discoveries of the excavations that had taken place in Palaikastro, Sitia.
Skull and remnants from the skeleton of a Cretan dog. They were found in the excavations in Palaikastro, Sitia by the English Archaeological School. 49 dogs were buried together with various other worshiping objects. The bones that were found were studied by archaeozoologist, Mrs Sheila Goyol, who found that the height of the dogs during that era ranged from 45-53 cm, the length of their body was equal to their height and the length of their skull was equal to the length of their muzzle. This reinforces the study of Dr St. Mpasourakos according to whom the dog, even today, is square and of medium size.

The Egyptian hound.  Statue made of marble in the museum of Louvre in Paris. It was photographed and given to me by my friend archaeologist and vice-president of the ‘Pagkritios Association for the Protection and Rescue of Native Fauna’, Mr. Nikos Panagiotakis. The resemblance with the current Cretan tracer is evident. Even the coat that we see under its neck is the same as in dogs which are very short-coated. Also, between the legs and close to the tail the coat is longer, compared to the rest of the body. As for the skull, the ears and its general appearance things are obvious.
In the pictures above, we can see the form that the ancient hound dogs of Egypt had, which had probably been the progenitors of the Cretan tracer. On the left drawing we can see that the dog is much smaller than the other two on the right, but they have the same characteristics. The first was named by archaeologists as the dog of Cheops (because it was found in this Pharao’s tomb, while the other dogs are known as thehounds of Egypt. Comparing those with the discoveries that were made in Crete, we can see that here the two presented varieties of dogs have similar characteristics; the first is a medium sized one and the two on the right are tall. We can, therefore, suppose that for hunting reasons as well as commercial, (provided that the dog was an object of commercial transaction for Cretan traders) they had been imported in Crete and from that point, in all countries in the Mediterranean sea.
The photograph on the left is from1933 and it was taken in the harbour of Elounta, near Saint Nikolaos in Crete. We can see a company of hunters, with 3 dogs that their height reaches almost the knee of their master, with curled tails (as seen in the two dogs on the right) and with ears cut (a habit that it still kept). The third dog is standing in the front part of the boat and is hardly distinguished. The photograph on the right is from 1960 in the village Katofygi in Viano (as found in the journal of the cultural association) where we can see a company that is getting prepared for hunting. Two dogs appear clearly with the basic characteristics of the breed. The one on the left has its ears cut, while the one on the right has erect ears.
On the left – Mr. Mpounialetos Georgios (in Milatos, Merambelos - 1960) here we see two relatively modern Cretan tracers with their master. We can clearly distinguish the basic characteristics of the breed. (The photograph was given to me by Mr. Giourgos Michalis) 
On the right – Mr. Xanthakis Myron (in Seles, Merambelos - 1960) return from hunting with the legendary female dogs Mpampakia (white-colour) and Lemonia ( Isabelia- yellowish colour, close to the shade of lemon chiffon). Their ears are semi-erect, their skull is wide, their tail is curled and the general morphology refers to the Laconian dogs. (The photograph was given to me by Mr. Basilakis Ioannis, cashier of the Club for the Friends of the Cretan Tracer)
The representations above are found engraved on the exterior of a stone entrance of a house in the village Milatos in Merambelos and based on the year of its manufacture, as is curved on the door (1835) together with the name of the constructor, we can see a dog similar to the Cretan Tracer. In both engravings, the two representations that are found on the right and left show the dog chasing the hare. We can distinguish the erect ears, the long and sharp muzzle, the muscular body and the curly tail. It is one more element of the relatively recent presence of our dog at that period with the same characteristics.

In Madara, Sfakia, three stock-breeders, in a moment of rest and of intense discussion.  Among them we can see a dog that, as long as we can distinguish, seems to have maintained many of the characteristics of the Cretan Tracer: wide skull and sharp muzzle. (photo by Mr. Deligiannakis,1960)
An exceptional photograph (on the left), not only of the splendid Cretan Tracer, which is standing  between father and son, but also of life in Crete that is evident in the steep but spectacular, at the same time, landscape and in the forms of the local people walking towards their home carrying their load on their back and together with their inseparable companion. (photo by Mr. Deligiannakis,1960)
Another splendid photograph (on the right) shows a stock-breeder and his companion, supervising the flock despite the eminent storm. The dog, although with its ears lowered, maintains the sharp muzzle, the wide skull and the muscular physique. (photo by Mr. Deligiannakis, 1960)
(From the book by Alexandros K. Droudakis ‘Na i Criti’ /‘This is Crete’
An illustrated presentation of old and modern Crete. 
Eptalofos Publications, ATHENS 1977) Photo www.rizitiko.gr by Mr. Mouzourakis Eytychis Skafidakia, Kydonias of Chania)
Statuette of the Cretan Tracer made of clay and the grave of a puppy aged roughly 3-4 months (1400 B.C.)