Khaberni - Two recent genetic studies published in the journal Nature have revealed that the loyalty linking dogs to humans dates much further back than scientists previously believed.
Analyses have proven that dogs genetically diverged from wolves and became "companions" to humans more than 14,000 years ago.
Scientists have long known that dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by humans, even before the onset of agriculture, but pinning down the exact timing of this "friendship" has remained a topic of debate.
According to "National Geographic", researchers analyzed DNA from dog remains found at ancient archaeological sites ranging from Belgium to Turkey and Iran.
One study, led by Anders Bergström, showed that a 14,200-year-old sample found in Switzerland belonged to a fully domesticated dog.
At the same time, researchers Lachy Scarisbrook and William Marsh confirmed a stable and consistent breed of dogs across the European continent since 14,300 years ago, disproving the hypothesis that these were merely wild wolves loitering around human campsites.
"The Swiss Army Dog"
Experts described the dogs of the Old Stone Age as "the Swiss Army dog" (a comparison to the multifunctional Swiss Army knife), due to their remarkable ability to adapt to the cultural and practical roles assigned by early humans, including:
Assisting in hunting: tracking and encircling game.
Guarding: securing campsites from predators.
Funerary rituals: dog bones were found buried alongside humans, and in some cases, holes in their jawbones suggest they were used in local rituals.
Although these early dogs resembled "small wolves" in appearance, their genetic footprint is still alive today.
Researcher Scarisbrook confirms that the DNA of these ancient dogs has persisted through the ages to end up in modern breeds we love today, such as "German Shepherd" and "Saint Bernard".
According to scientists, these results confirm that the relationship between humans and dogs is not just an environmental coincidence, but a strategic partnership that began in the Ice Age caves and has withstood thousands of years of climate and civilizational changes.
