Afghan Hound Times
(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
Photo from Hans Hutmacher's post in Kazakh/Centralasiatic Tazi & Taigan
Photo from Hans Hutmacher's post in Kazakh/Centralasiatic Tazi & Taigan c. 1880  |
Recently on Afghan Hounds International Facebook group, Pablo Solti posted a very interesting photo of a 'Tazy" (native Afghan hound type) provided in a link by Hans Hutmache. The photograph was taken in the 1880s and it serves to remind us what some of the early original native hounds looked like. I undertook some research on Henri Moser and provide some additional information about him further down this page
1. Original AHI Post
Pablo Solti
Photos from Hans Hutmacher's post in Kazakh/Centralasiatic Tazi & Taigan - c 1880, Geschenk von Henri Moser an das österreichische Kaiserhaus,Turkmenische Pferde,Achal-Tekke,Jomud und Jemrali und ein Tazi. Die Pferde wurden aus Zentralasien nach Wien geritten,was man ihnen ja ansehen kann By: Hans Hutmacher
Afghan HoundsInt Pam Croft
Where was this photo taken Pablo ?
Pablo Solti
It says it is a gift from Henri Moser at the Austrian Kaiserhaus in Vienna.
It seems this man (Moser) was very wealthy, traded with silk with italian firms and the central asian region (the silk roads), was a swiss army officer of the cavalier corps (sorry, don't know the exact name in English), traveled a lot there and wrote his travel memories. Here, besides the turkuman horses he brought back, an akhal tekke, a jomud and a jemrali, is a TAZI. He liked to hunt. The horses were ridden all the road back (or forth to Austria, ca 1880. (with the tazi trotting/galloping alongside them)
2. Research on Henri Moser
This extract is from "Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland 1894"
Moser, Henri. L'irrigation En Asie Centrale, Etude Geografhiq.uk Et Economique. With a map.
Paris, 1894.
M. Henri Moser, the author of "A travers l'Asie Centrale," began his travels in Central Asia
as a young man, and has made a good use of his rare opportunities for studying the resources
of the Russian possessions in that part of the world. Associated in the vast projects and
works of such eminent administrators as Kaufmann, Chernaief, and Anneukof, he brings the
fruits of a long experience to bear on the interesting questions discussed in the present
work. In Chapter I. he examines the conditions of climate and soil, the gradual dessication
of the Aralo-Caspian basin, its geology, surface deposits (such as loess, sand-drift, etc.),
the temperature, atmospheric deposits, and direction and force of wind. He gives a sketch of
the orography and hydrography, the main arteries of irrigation, agricultural products, and
useful plants. Finally he reviews briefly the population, sedentary and nomadic. In Chapter
II. he treats of the history of irrigation and its great importance in moulding the
destinies of the people of Asia, while he touches on the traces of irrigation works in such
centres as Merv, Khiva, Ferghanah, the Hi and Zarafshan valleys. Chapter III. is of more
present interest, for here the author explains the actual methods of cultivation' as now
practised. These are divisible under two heads: (1) where the rainfall is sufficient to
raise crops, and (2) where artificial irrigation is necessary. It is on this last that the
inhabitant of Central Asia is mainly dependent for his subsistence. The all-important water
supply governs the whole administration of the country, and is at the root of the unwritten
customary law handed down from generation to generation. It serves also as a basis of
Imperial taxation. Having examined in detail the systems of irrigation pursued in the
provinces of Zarafshan (Chapter IV.) and Bokhara (Chapter V.), M. Moser summarizes, in
conclusion, the future prospects of irrigation and the schemes devised for the development
of the country. If it be admitted, he remarks, that under former conquerors instability and
uncertainty for the morrow weighed heavily on public enterprise and prevented the
development of resources, it is incumbent on Russia to create a new system of irrigation
based on the conquests of modern science and the experience gained by the natives . . . The
ancient and legendary prosperity of Central Asia will not only come to life again, but it
may and ought to be surpassed. With the wish and conviction that it may and will do so, M.
Moser concludes his book.
3. Switzerland
In my research I have occasionally encountered references to Taigan/Barukhzy hounds etc. In an article by Drury he writes = "To judge by the general appearance of the Barukhzy Hound, one feels inclined to write it down as a soft, timid animal. This, however, is far from being the case. Some six years ago we received from Major Mackenzie a most interesting contribution upon these hounds, and in that the dog is described as bold and courageous to a degree. Moreover, the writer was speaking not only of a very large number that he had kept while residing in Switzerland, but also of the hound as found in Afghanistan.". Link to full Drury article is at bottom of this page.
Another reference to Switzerland occurs in the Barukhzy article here on AHT - "Nadir Of Ghazni was used subsequently by a Swiss breeder - Nadir Of Ghazni was bred to another Barukhzy bitch - Baruhkzy's Begum (who is litter sister to Barukhzys Soeraya). That breeding was done by Paul Hausemmann of Sirdar Afghan Hounds in Switzerland. We are still researching this Swiss line, we don't know if Nadir Of Ghazni's ownership was transferred to Paul Hausemmann or whether Baruhkzy's Begum was imported in whelp to Nadir. But the ensuing litter is recorded as being bred by Paul Hausemmann. Barukhzy's Begum was registered in the Dutch studbook with the owner as G van Spijk -Basel . Mr. Hausamann was a well known sighthound judge in Europe, We believe he was active up to at least the 1980's. Begum was born 2/14/1928, and obviously ended up as a puppy or young bitch in Basel otherwise the owner's name would not have appeared in the Dutch studbook." Link to full Barukhzy article is at the bottom of this page
Steve T, December 2013
See also
The Barukhzy (Afghan) And Allied Eastern Hounds W. D. Drury 1903
Barukhzy Afghan Hounds by Steve Tillotson, 1996, updated 2011 and 2013
The Kalagh Tazi Translated by Ortrud W Roemer-Horn
Afghan Hound Breed History Switzerland by Steve Tillotson 1996
Markanov, N. A. Ohotnich'i sobaki (The hunting dogs), Tashkent, 1993
Early Afghan Hounds Section
The Origins Section
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