Ancient humans left behind hints that they kept domestic dogs 9,400 years back, recent research conducted by a graduate student has discovered. Companionship wasn’t the purpose of the 9,400-year-old canine, however. Evidence of the canine was discovered within the form of a bone shard contained in a fossilized human turd.
Dog about 9,400 years old found with DNA examination and Carbon dating
Samuel Belknap III was a graduate student at the University of Maine who identified a 9,400 year old canine. The diets of historic humans in the Lower Pecos region of TX were being studied by him. There was some stool at an archeological site that was dug up. That was what Belknap was investigating specifically. In it was a bone fragment. It was tiny. They used Carbon dating to discover out how old the fragment was. It was discovered to be 9,400 years old. A DNA analysis showed the bone came from a canine, rather than a wild animal for instance a coyote. Those facts lead Belknap and other researchers to believe that dogs were likely tamed at the time for utility, security and meat.
The domestication of canines
Scientists suggest that humans tamed dogs starting up to 40,000 years back from gray wolves, in accordance with DNA proof. Dog remains that are up to 31,000 years old were discovered in Belgium. What is now the Czech Republic, there were also dog remains discovered. They were 26,000 years old though. Siberia has archaeological records of canines too. They’re up to 15,000 years old. With the Bering land bridge from Asia over 10,000 years back, many Archeologists think canines came to North America with ancient settlers. Dogs were dated to be about 8,000 years old in the states before the 9,400 year old canine was found.
Canine was eaten to endure by many
Belknap’s research on the 9,400-year old dog could be presented in detail later this year within the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. He estimated that his 9,400-year-old dog weighed in at about 25 to 30 pounds. The Great Plain Indians dog would be described. Archeologists have discovered evidence suggesting Indians used dogs for hauling goods much like Alaskan Inuit’s use sled canines. Tribes would select an unlucky canine for supper on special occasions or when other food was scarce.
Citations
Associated Press
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_early_dog
National Geographic
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110118-oldest-domestic-dogs-north-america-eaten-texas-cave-science-animals/
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog
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