- Archaeological News
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Image Credit: Kevin Church/NHM
Ancient Jawbone Reveals Dogs Lived with Humans 15000 Years Ago
A small jawbone discovered in a cave in southwestern Britain has provided the earliest clear evidence of domesticated dogs living alongside humans, significantly reshaping the timeline of human–animal relationships.
The fragment, recovered from Gough's Cave, was originally excavated in the early 20th century but remained unrecognized for decades. Recent DNA analysis has now confirmed that it belonged to a domesticated dog dating back around 15,000 years—pushing back the known origins of dogs in Britain by approximately 5,000 years.
The findings indicate that humans and dogs were already closely connected at the end of the Ice Age, long before the domestication of other animals. Genetic evidence suggests that early dogs descended from gray wolf populations that gradually adapted to human environments, initially scavenging near camps before forming cooperative relationships.
Further analysis revealed that these early dogs shared diets with humans, consuming similar mixtures of meat, plants, and, in some regions, fish. This dietary overlap points to a close and sustained bond, suggesting that dogs were not merely tolerated but integrated into human communities.
The study also enabled researchers to identify similar early dog remains across Europe and Anatolia, indicating that these animals had already spread widely alongside human groups. This supports the idea of a single early domesticated population rather than multiple independent domestication events.
Additional genetic research on ancient dog and wolf remains across Europe and the Near East reinforces this conclusion, showing that modern dogs trace their ancestry back to one early population that dispersed widely by the end of the Ice Age.
The discovery provides strong evidence that the partnership between humans and dogs began much earlier than previously confirmed, highlighting a long-standing relationship that has endured for millennia.
Published on: 25-03-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: BBC