"The oldest of these dogs lived about 15,800 years ago, pushing back the oldest known genetic evidence of dogs by nearly 5,000 years. These early dogs came from sites that extend from Britain to Turkey, and were associated with several very different hunter-gatherer populations."
"The people are so different, but the dogs are very much the same, said Greger Larson, a paleogeneticist at the University of Oxford. The finding suggests that these early human societies were exchanging dogs or acquiring them from one another."
"It is kind of the equivalent of a new blade or a new point or a new kind of material culture or art form or something, where everybody's getting really excited about having this fun new thing around."
"The research provides new insight into the early history of dogs, as well as the genetic legacy and the interspecies relationship that extends to today."
Genetic evidence indicates that dogs existed during the Paleolithic period, with the oldest known specimens dating back to about 15,800 years ago. Researchers analyzed DNA from ancient canine remains found at five archaeological sites across Europe and Western Asia. These early dogs were genetically similar, suggesting that hunter-gatherer societies exchanged or acquired them from one another. This discovery enhances understanding of the relationship between humans and dogs, marking a significant advancement in knowledge about their early history.
#paleolithic #dog-domestication #genetic-evidence #hunter-gatherer-societies #human-animal-relationships
Read at www.nytimes.com
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