The dog in prehistoric and early historic britain

Abstract

The development and changes in size, conformation and skull shape of the dog in Britain from the Mesolithic to the end of the eleventh century AD are described and factors are derived for the estimation of shoulder height from long bone lengths.The Mesolithic dog is represented by not more than four animals of about 60 cm shoulder height. In both the Neolithic and the Bronze Age the available evidence indicates a single population showing little variation. The observed range of estimated shoulder height was the same, 43–62 cm, but the mean values for each long bone length were a little higher in the later period.In the Iron Age there is again a single population but the larger dogs in it were either more common or better represented. An overall reduction in height is apparent, the range being 29–58 cm.The cardinal feature of the Romano-British dog is variability, apparent in height, build and skull shape. The height range is 23–72 cm. There were definitely two, possibly three, distinct populations and what were almost certainly house dogs were seen for the first time.The mean size of the dog in Anglo-Saxon times was greater than that in any previous period and there is evidence for two distinct populations. The range in shoulder height is 23–71 cm but overall the variation is reduced.Evidence is presented that the dog was probably used as a food animal.