Ancient DNA reveals earliest known dogs lived alongside Ice Age humans
Why it matters: This redefines the timeline of human-dog partnership, showing deep co-evolution and shared survival strategies.
- The study, led by researchers from the University of York, utilized whole genome reconstruction from ancient remains, a significant advancement over previous studies that relied on smaller DNA fragments and skeletal measurements.
- Professor Oliver Craig highlights the difficulty in confirming early human-dog associations due to their physical similarity to wolves and the lack of behavioral evidence in the archaeological record.
- Lizzie Hodgson's dietary analysis at Pınarbaşı revealed domestic dogs consumed fish, mirroring human diets, strongly suggesting active feeding by people and a close relationship.
- Dr. William Marsh from the Natural History Museum confirmed the widespread dispersal of these early dogs across Europe and Türkiye by at least 14,000 years ago, identifying additional ancient dogs in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.
A groundbreaking study, published in Nature, has pushed back the earliest confirmed evidence of domesticated dogs by over 5,000 years, revealing that our canine companions lived alongside Ice Age humans more than 14,000 years ago. By analyzing ancient DNA and dietary isotopes from sites in the UK and Türkiye, researchers confirmed dogs were widespread across Eurasia and shared diets with humans, indicating a close, cooperative bond long before farming emerged.
