Evidence reveals human-dog bonds in the Americas began 12,000 years ago

A recent study reveals that the bond between humans and canines in the Americas dates back at least 12,000 years—2,000 years earlier than previously believed.

Evidence reveals human-dog bonds in the Americas began 12,000 years agoFrançois Lanoë, an ᴀssistant research professor in the U of A School of Anthropology, after helping unearth this 8,100-year-old canine jawbone in interior Alaska in June 2023. The bone, along with a 12,000-year-old leg bone discovered at a nearby site, are some of the earliest evidence that ancient dogs and wolves formed close relationships with people in the Americas. Credit: Zach Smith

Conducted by a team led by Dr. François Lanoë, an ᴀssistant research professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Anthropology, the research draws on archaeological findings from Alaska. The study, published in Science Advances, provides compelling evidence of early interactions between Indigenous people and the ancestors of modern dogs or tamed wolves.

The research team discovered a 12,000-year-old canine tibia at Swan Point, an archaeological site about 70 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the bone’s age, situating it near the end of the Ice Age. In June 2023, the team also uncovered an 8,100-year-old jawbone from another site, Hollembaek Hill, south of Delta Junction. Both bones displayed signs of potential domestication.

Chemical analysis revealed a surprising dietary detail: substantial traces of salmon proteins. “This is the smoking gun because they’re not really going after salmon in the wild,” explained Ben Potter, an archaeologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and co-author of the study. The consistent presence of salmon in the diet of these canines strongly suggests reliance on humans for food, a behavior indicative of domestication or close ᴀssociation.

Evidence reveals human-dog bonds in the Americas began 12,000 years agoIn June 2023, researchers discovered an 8,100-year-old canine jawbone in interior Alaska, along with a 12,000-year-old leg bone found at a nearby site. These findings provide the earliest evidence of close relationships between the ancestors of modern dogs and humans in the Americas. Credit: Zach Smith

Despite these findings, the genetic analysis indicates that these ancient canines are not directly related to modern dog populations. Dr. Lanoë noted, “Behaviorally, they seem to be like dogs, as they ate salmon provided by people, but genetically, they’re not related to anything we know.” This raises the possibility that these animals were tamed wolves rather than fully domesticated dogs.

The study also highlights the essential role of Indigenous partnerships. Archaeological work in Alaska’s Tanana Valley has been ongoing since the 1930s, with researchers regularly consulting the Healy Lake Village Council, which represents the Mendas Cha’ag people. The council approved the genetic testing of the canine specimens for this study.

Evidence reveals human-dog bonds in the Americas began 12,000 years agoSelected terminal Pleistocene/Early Holocene specimens. Credit: François Lanoë, Science Advances (2024)

Evelynn Combs, a Healy Lake member and archaeologist, said: “It is little—but it is profound—to get the proper permission and to respect those who live on that land.” Combs, who grew up exploring archaeological sites in the Tanana Valley, described the enduring bond between humans and dogs in her community, noting that nearly every resident in her village has a close relationship with a dog.

Dr. Lanoë emphasized the broader implications of the discoveries: “Until you find those animals in archaeological sites, we can speculate about it, but it’s hard to prove one way or another. So, this is a significant contribution.”

More information: University of ArizonaFrançois Lanoë et al. (2024).Late Pleistocene onset of mutualistic human/canid (Canis spp.) relationships in subarctic Alaska. Sci. Adv.10, eads1335. DOI:10.1126/sciadv.ads1335

Related Posts

Lost medieval tale The Song of Wade decoded by Cambridge scholars solving 130-year-old Chaucerian mystery

Lost medieval tale The Song of Wade decoded by Cambridge scholars solving 130-year-old Chaucerian mystery

A literary enigma that has puzzled scholars for more than a century might have finally been unraveled. Researchers at Cambridge University have reinterpreted a fragment of the…

Medieval Hungarians continued eating horsemeat for centuries despite Christian influence, new study reveals

Medieval Hungarians continued eating horsemeat for centuries despite Christian influence, new study reveals

A recent archaeological study is rewriting our understanding of medieval food and the Christian influence on the foodways of Europe. Contrary to long-held ᴀssumptions that Christianity led…

Ancient elk petroglyphs in Mongolia show 12,000-year shift from realism to wolf-like symbols

Ancient elk petroglyphs in Mongolia show 12,000-year shift from realism to wolf-like symbols

A new study, published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal by Dr. Esther Jacobson-Tepfer, reveals an astonishing transformation in elk images in 12,000 years of Altai rock art…

Wild hyenas in Tanzania found to disturb prehistoric campsite remains, study shows

Wild hyenas in Tanzania found to disturb prehistoric campsite remains, study shows

A recent expedition to Tanzania by the SCAVENGERS project team has revealed that wild hyenas can significantly alter the archaeological record of early human campsites. Led by…

Ancient rural settlement in Fordingbridge reveals Iron Age to Roman transition, daily life, and industry

Ancient rural settlement in Fordingbridge reveals Iron Age to Roman transition, daily life, and industry

Archaeologists from Cotswold Archaeology have revealed the remains of a previously unknown rural settlement on the western edge of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, England. The excavation, ahead of a…

Medieval leather treasures unearthed in Oslo reveal shoes, bags, and daily life 700 years ago

Medieval leather treasures unearthed in Oslo reveal shoes, bags, and daily life 700 years ago

Archaeologists excavating Oslo’s historic neighborhood of Bjørvika have uncovered a trove of medieval leather artifacts—over 2,900 pieces, including hundreds of beautifully preserved shoes, bags, and knife sheaths….