Archaeological dogs from the Early Holocene Zhokhov site in the Eastern Siberian Arctic

Abstract

Excavations on the Zhokhov Island yielded a small but meaningful collection of Early Holocene canine faunal remains (MNI=13). To clarify the morphological characteristics of the Zhokhov dogs' skulls, they were compared to the modern skulls of the Eastern Siberian wolves. This analysis shows, that around 9000years ago a fully formed, as a species, domesticated dog was present at the Zhokhov site and used by the inhabitants of the area while hunting and as a draft animal. Presence of a developed form of dog sledding has been securely established for this culture. The Zhokhov site osteological dog remains analysis showed that the comparison of two proportional ratios (the ratio of skull height in the cranial region to total skull length and the ratio of snout height at Рm1 – Рm2 to total skull length) is a universal and reliable criterion for distinguishing wolf skulls from wolf-like dog skulls. This method prevents the influence of any single measurement on the identification of any individual as a dog or a wolf. We propose to name them indices DD1 and DD2, accordingly (for Dog Domestication). We also show that a sled dog and hunting dog standard existed, which significantly changes the current ideas about the timing of specialized dog breed formation via directed selection. Full completion of this process marks the third stage of domestication. Two earlier stages precede it in time and space (natural selection via the feeding behavior within specific ecological niche, formed by the human activity, followed by artificial selection based on the animal's ability to be tamed). We suggest that sled dogs could have been used in Siberia around 15,000years ago.