Humans Had Dogs Before They Had Farming, Ancient DNA Confirms
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- New genetic evidence shows that dogs existed during the Paleolithic period, around 14,000 to 15,800 years ago, predating the development of agriculture.
- Researchers analyzed DNA from ancient canine specimens found at five archaeological sites across Europe and Western Asia, with the oldest dog dating back nearly 5,000 years earlier than previously known.
- Despite the diverse hunter-gatherer populations at these sites, the dogs were genetically very similar, indicating close relationships among early dogs across different human groups.
- The genetic similarity among dogs suggests that early human societies were exchanging dogs or acquiring them from one another, highlighting an early form of human-animal interaction and cooperation.
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