This month's Journal of Archaeological Science contains Darcy F. Morey's survey of data of prehistoric dog burials and the implications for the timing of the domestication of the dog. Morey includes examples of dog burials on every continent in the world except Antarctica. Among the earliest burials discussed in detail by Morey are Koster (Illinois in the central US, 8500 years ago), Ushki-1 (Siberia, 9500 years ago), Ashkelon (Israel, 2500 years ago), and the earliest dog burial to date, at Bonn-Oberkassel (Germany, 14,000 years ago). The article may be purchased online at the following link. Darcy F. Morey. 2006. Burying key evidence: the social bond between dogs and people. Journal of Archaeological Science 33:178-185.
Photograph of Larry and Butch courtesy Sheri Strithof.
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