Pets in the Ancient Mediterranean (Image Gallery) p. 23

Image Gallery

by Arienne King
published on 09 March 2021

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A Monkey Bird-Catcher, Byzantine Mosaic

by Hagia Sophia Research Team
published on 11 January 2018

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A Monkey Bird-Catcher, Byzantine Mosaic — View Full-Size Image

Monkeys, particularly macaques, are known to have been trained as pets in the Roman Empire. By the Late Roman or Early Byzantine period, monkeys had become increasingly popular.

Pictured: Mosaic of a monkey trying to catch birds with a long stick under a date tree. He has a wooden cage on his back with a bird on it. Constantinople, c. 6th century CE.
Great Palace Mosaic Museum, Istanbul.

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