Recent research indicates that from 1492 to today, North American dog breeds were largely replaced by European breeds. To delve deeper into the timeline of this transition, scientists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Iowa analyzed mitochondrial DNA from ancient dog remains. Their results imply a rich and intricate history of dogs during the early colonial era.
Both Europeans and Native Americans held their dogs in high regard, using them for similar tasks and as representations of their identities. This led to a reflection of the cultural tensions between the two groups; settlers referred to Native American dogs as mixed breeds to underscore their belief that Indigenous peoples did not breed or own them. Meanwhile, Indigenous communities viewed European dogs as a serious threat to their way of life and took steps to restrict the usage of these dogs.
Ariane Thomas, a recent PhD graduate in anthropology from the University of Iowa, stated, “Prior studies proposed that numerous Indigenous dogs existed in the contiguous United States and that they were wiped out. We aimed to understand the specifics: when this occurred, whether they were culled, if competition with European breeds played a role, or if disease was a factor.”
The researchers selected the Jamestown colony in Virginia as their focus due to the abundance of canid remains found there and indications of Indigenous influence. Collaborating with Jamestown Rediscovery, they examined 181 canid bones, which represented at least 16 distinct dogs. From these, the team carefully chose 22 remains from various periods during the early settlement, specifically between 1607 and 1619. They conducted DNA extraction at the ancient DNA lab located within the Core Facilities of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Subsequently, the DNA sequencing took place at the Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center in Illinois to gain further insights into the ancestry of these dogs.
Alida de Flamingh, a postdoctoral researcher in the Malhi (CIS/GSP/IGOH/GNDP) lab, remarked, “This project exemplifies the collaborative scientific approach we employ at IGB, where expertise from various fields converges to tackle research questions through blending skill sets.”
The analysis of estimated body sizes revealed that most Jamestown dogs weighed between 22-39 lbs, akin to contemporary beagles or schnauzers. Additionally, several of the dog bones showed signs of human-caused injuries, including burn marks and cuts.
“The evidence of cuts and other butchery marks indicates that certain dogs were consumed. This suggests that when the colonists arrived, they were short on food and had to depend on the Indigenous dogs available,” Thomas explained.
Furthermore, DNA analysis identified that at least six of the dogs displayed signs of Indigenous North American ancestry. “Our findings indicate that Indigenous dogs were present in the area and were not immediately eradicated upon the Europeans’ arrival,” Thomas added.
While the discovery of dogs with Indigenous lineage is not entirely unexpected, these results suggest that colonists and Indigenous groups may have engaged in dog trades and probably did not worry much about potential interbreeding. The researchers hope to expand their investigation to other locations and procure additional high-quality DNA samples and dog size reconstructions to clarify whether these dogs were entirely of Indigenous descent or a mix with European breeds.
