A dog exhumed from a grave
This is an exceptional discovery and all the more surprising as the bones of this dog rested in a grave next to that of a human being. At present, we do not know the place reserved for the deceased in this village, who it was because the experts have not yet had time to carry out in-depth analyzes of his bones. They also pointed out that at that time, men generally surrounded themselves with objects of value or precious in their eyes to access the afterlife.
Ola Magnell, Osteologist: “This is one of the oldest dog burial finds in the country.The fact that he was buried in the middle of a Stone Age village is unique.” Archaeologists will therefore continue their research and try to reconstruct the skeleton of the dog to find out more. This should not pose any problems: the bones being in a good state of preservation thanks to the layers of mud and sand, conveyed by during a sudden rise in water, which occurred 8,400 years ago, and which protected these fragments for millennia.
What was the relationship between man and dog?
The first elements, updated during this exhumation, suggest that the dog already had its place among the man, that he probably lived with him and was perhaps already domesticated. It is difficult to specify the exactness of their links and the precise date of domestication, however scientists estimate it at approximately 15,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic era.
It is true that the relationship between man and dog, even their mutual attachment, dates back millennia. Over time, they had to get to know each other, to get closer and the dog became the man's companion.
Other studies, other discoveries
A study conducted in Catalonia, on the bones of very young dogs (1 month to 6 years old) exhumed in 6,000-year-old graves, showed that their diet was almost similar to that of humans. To deduce: “a coexistence between animals and inhabitants in this region 6,000 years ago”.
In 2019, another 4,500-year-old “canine skull” study unearthed from a grave on the Scottish archipelago of Orkney was the subject of a ritual burial that leaves suppose that "the animals were of special importance to the farmers who lived there. A buried dog shows in a way how similar we have remained - the same sense of grief and loss,” commented Carl Persson, one of the works managers.