Humans and dogs - scientists find new proof of ancient bond
DW.com • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists have identified a female puppy from 15,800 years ago in present-day Turkey as the earliest-known dog, predating previous records by nearly 5,000 years.
- The puppy's skull was found at Pinarbasi, a rock shelter used by ancient hunter-gatherers, and DNA analysis suggests it was a few months old and resembled a small wolf.
- Studies published in Nature highlight the unclear but significant relationship between early humans and dogs, including evidence of dogs being buried alongside humans and fed fish.
- Genetic research indicates dogs and wolves diverged at least 24,000 years ago, with ancient European and Asian dogs sharing common ancestors, suggesting a single domestication event.
- Despite these findings, scientists acknowledge that the exact timing, location, and reasons for dog domestication remain unresolved, with a "genetic abyss" still separating dogs and wolves.
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D630%26fit%3Dcrop%26enable%3Dupscale%26auto%3Dwebp?format=webp&w=120&h=80)
