Dogs came in all shapes and sizes as far back as the Bronze age

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-05-18 09:01

Australia; International; WA

Dogs may have come in all shapes and sizes well before the Bronze Age, according to Australian and international research that examined dog jawbones from 3000-8,100 years BC. The study found that the jaws of these ancient dogs varied from very small, similar to a modern pomeranian or dachshund, through to larger sizes similar to a modern golden retriever or German shepherd. However, although there was considerable variation in head and jaw shape, the variation was still less than that seen in modern dogs and there were none of the extreme head shapes seen in modern short-faced dogs such as bulldogs and pugs.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Unexpected morphological diversity in ancient dogs compared to modern relatives

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

This study describes the morphological variability in the mandible of prehistoric European dogs by comparing 525 mandibles dating from 8,100 to 3,000 cal. BC to a reference sample of modern dogs, wolves, and dingoes. We demonstrate that an important variability already existed before the Bronze Age in Europe, yet lower compared to modern relatives. The relationships between the anterior and posterior parts of the mandible are lower in archaeological dogs, suggesting a low degree of intentional human selection. The mandible of modern and ancient dogs differs in functionally important areas, possibly reflecting differences in diet, competition, or the implication of ancient dogs in hunting or defense.

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Research The Royal Society, Web page Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends).

Journal/
conference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Murdoch University, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, France

Funder: This project has received funding from the French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the National Museum of Natural History in Paris and the Fyssen Foundation

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