The First People to Settle in The Americas Brought Their Dogs With Them
25 JANUARY 2021
How far back can the story of humans and dogs be told? When and where did this ancient relationship begin? New DNA evidence suggests our connection with canines can be traced much further into prehistory than has ever been conclusively shown.
According to scientists, analyses of ancient dog DNA suggests dogs were domesticated from Eurasian wolves as far back as approximately 23,000 years ago. Much later, they spread alongside humans as they migrated throughout the world – including entering the Americas by the way of Beringia, the long-lost land bridge that once connected Russia and Canada.
An international team has studied the archaeological and genetic records of ancient people and dogs.
Researchers led by archaeologist Dr Angela Perri, of Durham University, found that the first people to come to the Americas, more than 15,000 years ago from north-east Asia, were accompanied by their dogs.
They discovered that canine domestication likely took place in Siberia more than 23,000 years ago, and people eventually moved west towards Europe and east towards the Americas.
The Americas were one of the last regions of the world to be settled by people, by which time dogs had been domesticated.
Dr Perri said: “Dog domestication occurring in Siberia answers many of the questions we’ve always had about the origins of the human-dog relationship.
An international team has studied the archaeological and genetic records of ancient people and dogs.
Researchers led by archaeologist Dr Angela Perri, of Durham University, found that the first people to come to the Americas, more than 15,000 years ago from north-east Asia, were accompanied by their dogs.
They discovered that canine domestication likely took place in Siberia more than 23,000 years ago, and people eventually moved west towards Europe and east towards the Americas.
The Americas were one of the last regions of the world to be settled by people, by which time dogs had been domesticated.
Dr Perri said: “Dog domestication occurring in Siberia answers many of the questions we’ve always had about the origins of the human-dog relationship.
An international team has studied the archaeological and genetic records of ancient people and dogs. Researchers led by archaeologist Dr Angela Perri, of Durham University, found that the first people to come to the Americas, more than 15,000 years ago from north-east Asia, were accompanied by their dogs. They discovered that canine domestication likely took place in Siberia more than 23,000 years ago, and people eventually moved west towards Europe and east towards the Americas. The Americas were one of the last regions of the world to be settled by people, by which time dogs had been domesticated. Dr Perri said: “Dog domestication occurring in Siberia answers many of the questions we’ve always had about the origins of the human-dog relationship.
An international team has studied the archaeological and genetic records of ancient people and dogs.
Researchers led by archaeologist Dr Angela Perri, of Durham University, found that the first people to come to the Americas, more than 15,000 years ago from north-east Asia, were accompanied by their dogs.
They discovered that canine domestication likely took place in Siberia more than 23,000 years ago, and people eventually moved west towards Europe and east towards the Americas.
The Americas were one of the last regions of the world to be settled by people, by which time dogs had been domesticated.
Dr Perri said: “Dog domestication occurring in Siberia answers many of the questions we’ve always had about the origins of the human-dog relationship.