A groundbreaking study has pushed back the earliest genetic evidence for domesticated dogs by 5,000 years, revealing that the bond between humans and dogs dates back more than 15,000 years. The research, published in the journal Nature, analysed ancient DNA from dog bones found at archaeological sites across Europe and western Asia.
The oldest specimen, dating to 15,800 years ago, was discovered in Anatolia, Turkey, buried alongside human remains. A second specimen, a jawbone from Gough's Cave in Somerset, England, was dated to 14,300 years old. Both findings suggest that hunter-gatherers were feeding dogs and giving them ritual burials long before the emergence of agriculture.
Dr Lachie Scarsbrook, of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and co-first author of the study, said the findings raise the possibility that domestication occurred during the last ice age, more than 10,000 years before any other domestic plants or animals appeared. Previously, the oldest direct genetic evidence for dogs dated to just 10,900 years ago, as DNA from older bones was too fragmented to distinguish between dogs and wolves.
Advanced sequencing techniques allowed scientists to reconstruct whole genomes from tiny fragments of ancient DNA, enabling clear species identification for the first time. The analysis included specimens from Gough's Cave, Pınarbaşı in Turkey, and two sites in Serbia.
Isotopic analysis revealed that the dogs consumed a diet rich in fish, matching the local human diet, suggesting they were purposefully fed. Evidence of deep emotional bonds was also found: the bones of three puppies were buried over the legs of a human in Pınarbaşı, mirroring human burial practices. At Gough's Cave, a dog jawbone had intentional holes carved on either side, possibly for consumption after death.
The close genetic relationship between dogs across the sites suggests they spread rapidly across Europe, possibly traded between groups. Prof Laurent Frantz, a senior author, noted that the effort to feed and exchange dogs so early indicates they must have served important purposes, such as increased hunting efficiency or early warning systems.
