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Ancient skulls rewrite timeline of dog domestication
A groundbreaking study published in Science challenges long-held assumptions about when and how dogs evolved from wolves into the diverse breeds we know today. Researchers found that the physical transformation of canines-often attributed to 19th-century selective breeding-actually began over 10,000 years ago, during the Middle Stone Age.
Skull analysis uncovers early diversification
An international team led by Dr. Allowen Evin of the University of Montpellier and Dr. Carly Ameen of the University of Exeter examined more than 600 prehistoric canine skulls spanning 50,000 years. Using 3D digital modeling, they compared features across ancient and modern specimens, as well as wild relatives like wolves.
The analysis revealed that by nearly 11,000 years ago-shortly after the last Ice Age-dog skulls had begun diverging significantly. While some retained wolf-like slenderness, others developed shorter snouts and broader, stockier heads. Nearly half of the cranial diversity seen in modern breeds was already present by the mid-Stone Age, according to the findings.
"It's really surprising," Dr. Ameen told BBC News. "This starts to challenge the idea that Victorian-era kennel clubs were the primary drivers of breed diversity."
Origins of domestication remain unclear
Dogs were the first animals domesticated by humans, with evidence of close coexistence dating back at least 30,000 years. However, the study leaves unanswered questions about where and why this bond initially formed. Some theories suggest wolves may have first approached human settlements to scavenge, gradually becoming tamer and more integrated into human life.
Dr. Ameen noted that the physical changes likely stemmed from multiple factors, including human interaction, environmental adaptation, and dietary shifts. "It's hard to untangle which might be most important," she admitted, though she didn't discount early human preferences for traits like "boxy heads and cute, snub noses."
Dogs and humans: a shared migratory history
A separate Science study, led by researchers in China, analyzed ancient DNA from dogs aged 9,700 to 870 years old across Siberia, the Central Eurasian Steppe, and northwest China. The findings indicate that dog migrations often aligned with human movements-whether hunter-gatherers, farmers, or pastoralists-suggesting a deep, enduring partnership.
Why the bond persisted
The research implies that once wolves began scavenging near human camps, their role as waste cleaners and early-warning systems against predators made them indispensable. "Once a dog showed up for leftovers," the study suggests, "there was no going back."
Today's pampered pets-from Chihuahuas to stubborn terriers-may bear little resemblance to their wolf ancestors, but their shared history with humans stretches back millennia, far beyond the Victorian era's influence.
