There’s a herd of animals in Kelsey Museum

ANN ARBOR—From familiar fish and dog paw prints to toy horses and mythical beasts, the University of Michigan’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology abounds in artifacts with representations of fish, fowl, and animals. “Animals in the Kelsey” offers a unique look into the ancient world and how animals were used as food, as allies, as pets, as lucky charms, and as symbols of power and propaganda. Studying these animals reveals much about daily life in the ancient world from farming, to how much meat people might eat in a week. Why did the Greek and Roman gods demand animal sacrifice and why would a Roman emperor want to put an animal on the coinage? Why did he choose the one he did?

A dog described as ‘camp mascot and congenial companion,’ at a camp in the Fayoum Region of Egypt.Photograph by George W. Swain

Bringing the exhibit into the more recent past, “Animals in the Kelsey” also highlights animals used in the Museum’s numerous field activities as everything from “dig dogs” to beasts of burden.

The Kelsey Museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are accepted. Additional information about “Animals in the Kelsey” and the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology are available at http://www.umich.edu/~kelseydb/index.html or by calling (734) 764-9304. “Animals in the Kelsey” runs through March 2001.

Kelsey Museum of Archaeologyhttp://www.umich.edu/~kelseydb/index.html