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Image Credit: Stella Nikolova
Study Shows Dog Meat Was Consumed as Part of Feasting Traditions
Archaeological evidence from multiple Iron Age sites in Bulgaria indicates that dog meat was consumed around 2,500 years ago, not as a food of last resort but as part of communal feasting and occasional delicacy practices. The findings are based on cut and burn marks identified on dog bones recovered from settlements dating to the 1st millennium BC.
The research analyzed dog remains from ten archaeological sites across present-day Bulgaria, associated with Iron Age communities traditionally identified with Thracian culture. Many of the canine bones show clear signs of systematic butchery using metal tools, following patterns similar to those observed on sheep and cattle bones from the same contexts.
At one major inland trade center, dogs accounted for a small but notable percentage of animal remains found among discarded feast debris and domestic refuse. The highest concentration of cut marks appeared on the meatiest parts of the hind limbs, while some jawbones showed evidence of burning, possibly linked to hair removal prior to cooking.
The presence of abundant livestock—including cattle, sheep, pigs, birds, fish, and wild game—suggests that dog meat was not consumed out of necessity. Instead, the pattern points to ritualized or socially specific consumption, occasionally extending into everyday contexts.
Comparable evidence from neighboring regions, including Greece and Romania, indicates that dog meat consumption was not unique to Iron Age Bulgaria, but formed part of broader culinary and cultural practices in the northeastern Mediterranean during this period.
Later archaeological layers show a shift toward intact dog burials, suggesting that attitudes toward dogs may have changed over time. Ongoing research aims to clarify how the social and symbolic roles of dogs evolved within these ancient communities.
Published on: 25-01-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Live Science