01-24-2007, 02:37 AM
Hi, maybe someone here can help me with this.
I am trying to determine the truth or otherwise of a some information that is circulating amongst a number of websites dealing with a breed of cat called the "Turkish Van". In order to increase the prestige, and thus the saleable value of the "Turkish Van", the breeders of these cats are trying to link their breed with a long-established type of domestic cat found in the Lake Van area of Turkey (which historically was a part of Armenia). To do this, they are claiming that an image of a cat that resembles a "Turkish Van" appears on a Roman-period artifact found in the Van region. I believe the whole thing to be a blatant fabrication - but I would like the opinion of others.
For example the entry on Wikipedia (on a page written by a Turkish Van breeder) states "Turkish Vans have been living in their native Anatolia for thousands of years .... archeologists have found '...relics of an ancient battle during the occupation of Armenia by the Romans included armor and banners displaying an image of a large white cat with rings on its tail'." They get that quote from here: http://www.swimmingcats.com/vanarticle2.htm
Also, on this website: http://www.hayes-ent.com/pairodocs/standard.htm
we are told "The color pattern and semi-long hair was already established when the Romans conquered the area. It appears that one Roman legion adopted the image as their battle standard as it is found on a Roman shield, dated AD 75-387, which is now found in the Louver Museum, Paris."
The whole thing is vague, with no proper references (not that that seems to worry Wikipedia or the cat breeders). The "banner" cannot be a vexillum since only one has ever been discovered. "Louver" I presume is Louvre. Anyone know if such a shield could exist?
Of course, not a single Roman-period battle site has been excavated in Armenia. In fact – not a single battleground site has been identified. Even the location of the best-recorded one (fought in 69BC between the Roman general Lucullus and King Tigran of Armenia) remains unidentified.
Thoughts?
I am trying to determine the truth or otherwise of a some information that is circulating amongst a number of websites dealing with a breed of cat called the "Turkish Van". In order to increase the prestige, and thus the saleable value of the "Turkish Van", the breeders of these cats are trying to link their breed with a long-established type of domestic cat found in the Lake Van area of Turkey (which historically was a part of Armenia). To do this, they are claiming that an image of a cat that resembles a "Turkish Van" appears on a Roman-period artifact found in the Van region. I believe the whole thing to be a blatant fabrication - but I would like the opinion of others.
For example the entry on Wikipedia (on a page written by a Turkish Van breeder) states "Turkish Vans have been living in their native Anatolia for thousands of years .... archeologists have found '...relics of an ancient battle during the occupation of Armenia by the Romans included armor and banners displaying an image of a large white cat with rings on its tail'." They get that quote from here: http://www.swimmingcats.com/vanarticle2.htm
Also, on this website: http://www.hayes-ent.com/pairodocs/standard.htm
we are told "The color pattern and semi-long hair was already established when the Romans conquered the area. It appears that one Roman legion adopted the image as their battle standard as it is found on a Roman shield, dated AD 75-387, which is now found in the Louver Museum, Paris."
The whole thing is vague, with no proper references (not that that seems to worry Wikipedia or the cat breeders). The "banner" cannot be a vexillum since only one has ever been discovered. "Louver" I presume is Louvre. Anyone know if such a shield could exist?
Of course, not a single Roman-period battle site has been excavated in Armenia. In fact – not a single battleground site has been identified. Even the location of the best-recorded one (fought in 69BC between the Roman general Lucullus and King Tigran of Armenia) remains unidentified.
Thoughts?
