Nov 14, 2025 12:26 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1105722
INTRO: A groundbreaking archaeological study has revealed when domestic dogs first began to show the remarkable diversity that characterises them today.
By applying cutting-edge shape analysis to hundreds of archaeological specimens spanning tens of thousands of years, researchers have traced the emergence of distinct dog forms deep into prehistory, pinpointing the moment dogs began to diversify in size and shape - at least 11,000 years ago.
These findings challenge long-standing assumptions that canine diversity is largely a recent phenomenon shaped by selective breeding, which started with the Victorian Kennel Clubs. Instead, the study demonstrates that significant variation in skull shape and size among domestic dogs was already present thousands of years ago, soon after their divergence from wolves.
Published today in Science and led by the University of Exeter and the French CNRS, the study is the most comprehensive of its kind in terms of both geographic reach and timespan, with specimens ranging from the Pleistocene to the present day. The research, which began in 2014, analysed 643 modern and archaeological canid skulls - including recognised breeds, street dogs, and wolves - spanning the last 50,000 years... (MORE - details)
INTRO: A groundbreaking archaeological study has revealed when domestic dogs first began to show the remarkable diversity that characterises them today.
By applying cutting-edge shape analysis to hundreds of archaeological specimens spanning tens of thousands of years, researchers have traced the emergence of distinct dog forms deep into prehistory, pinpointing the moment dogs began to diversify in size and shape - at least 11,000 years ago.
These findings challenge long-standing assumptions that canine diversity is largely a recent phenomenon shaped by selective breeding, which started with the Victorian Kennel Clubs. Instead, the study demonstrates that significant variation in skull shape and size among domestic dogs was already present thousands of years ago, soon after their divergence from wolves.
Published today in Science and led by the University of Exeter and the French CNRS, the study is the most comprehensive of its kind in terms of both geographic reach and timespan, with specimens ranging from the Pleistocene to the present day. The research, which began in 2014, analysed 643 modern and archaeological canid skulls - including recognised breeds, street dogs, and wolves - spanning the last 50,000 years... (MORE - details)