The Andalusian hound (Spanish: podenco andaluz) is a dog breed originating in Spain, especially Andalusia. Dogs are similar to other Iberian breeds such as the Ibizan Hound, the Portuguese Podengo, the Podenco Canario and the Maneto. In the Iberian Peninsula there are cave paintings that represent dogs that have a strong resemblance to these races. In fact, it seems that dogs have been bred very similar to those in much of the Mediterranean basin since ancient times, including Cirneco dell'Etna and Pharaoh Hound. But there is also the tradition that the podencos were introduced into Spain by the Phoenicians through their colonies. Several genetic studies in recent years have come to conclude that contrary to widespread belief that the hound is a type of primitive dog imported some 3,000 years of Middle East area, these dogs actually have a close genetic relationship with other European hunting dogs and are no more "primitive" than most of them.