In search of Paleolithic dogs: a quest with mixed results

Archaeological evidence has long placed the origins of the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) just prior to the beginning of the Holocene Epoch, some 12,000-15,000 years ago. Some studies of genetic profiles of modern canids have, however, suggested a much earlier origin, dating to Paleolithic times and perhaps exceeding 100,000 years. With such studies as a backdrop, cases have been made recently on archaeological grounds for Paleolithic dogs that in certain cases exceed 30,000 years old. When examined systematically, however, some such studies exhibit conceptual and methodological flaws, calling into serious question the accuracy of the cases advanced. At least one recent study highlights that difficulty. When a series of cases for putative Paleolithic dogs is assessed, convincing cases for such dogs are confined to about the past 15,000 years, or latest Paleolithic times. Further developments on certain specific fronts may change that, but for the time being the longstanding archaeological understanding of the dog domestication time frame continues to be reasonably accurate. Recent molecular genetic studies are converging on that temporal framework as well. Archaeologists need not be automatically swayed by ongoing changes in molecular genetic profiles. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.