Study Reveals Early Dogs Were Highly Diverse, Showing Physical Variation Thousands of Years Ago

A recent study reveals that domestic dogs have been remarkably diverse for thousands of years. Researchers examining ancient dog skulls and DNA found significant diversity in the physical characteristics of dogs as far back as 10,000 years ago. Bioarchaeologist Carly Ameen and her team studied over 600 ancient dog skulls, revealing that even early dogs, dating back to the Neolithic era, already showed a wide range of physical features. This is notable because, by 10,000 years ago, dogs had already started diverging into different forms, some distinct from wolves. One of the most surprising findings was that the genetic analysis of the oldest known dog skull, from about 11,000 years ago, revealed a hybrid of Eastern and Western breeds. This indicates that humans were already bringing dogs from different regions together. These findings suggest that dog domestication happened much earlier than previously thought, and that the diversity we see in dogs today has roots going back thousands of years. Understanding the early domestication of dogs is important because it highlights how domestication of animals and plants fundamentally shaped human history and development.