The origins of the Saluki cannot be traced with certainty, but visual evidence depicts their connection to ancient Middle Eastern civilizations. Carvings from the Sumerian Empire, dating as far back as 7000 BC, depict dogs resembling the Saluki. Similar carvings appear on Egyptian tombs dating from 2100 BC and some historians identify the Saluki as a distinct breed since Alexander's invasion of India in 329 BC. For about 2,000 years, nomadic Bedouin tribesmen have been breeding Salukis and their origins are strongly tied to that lifestyle. Their native habitat is thought to stretch from the Sahara to the Caspian Sea and this geographic diversity has also led to marked variation in the breed's color and size.
Salukis are extremely fast and were primarily used by Arabs to bring down gazelles and in England to catch hares. The first Arabian Saluki was imported in 1895 from the kennels of Prince Abdulla of Transjordania, though the majority of the original dogs imported to the United States came from all over the Middle East. In 1928, the American Kennel Club recognized the Saluki.
