A 4,000-year-old clay brick from Anatolia bears a dog's paw print, revealing ancient human-dog bonds. Dogs were companions, not just tools, as early as 15,800 years ago.
Ancient clay brick shows dog paw print
A clay brick shaped about 4,000 years ago in Anatolia still shows the imprint of a dog’s paw. The paw left its mark while the brick was drying in its mold, long before it was used to build a wall.Evidence of human-dog bond
The discovery, made at the Tavşanlı Höyük site in western Turkey, suggests a long-standing relationship between humans and dogs. This tiny trace indicates that dogs were part of daily life in ancient Anatolia.Oldest domesticated dogs found
In Pınarbaşı, genetic studies have identified some of the oldest domesticated dogs in the world, dating back about 15,800 years. These findings show that dogs were already living alongside humans in this region long before the Tavşanlı Höyük brick was made.Dogs buried with humans
At Pınarbaşı and Boncuklu, archaeologists found puppies and dogs deliberately buried next to humans. This suggests an emotional connection between the two species, going beyond simple utility like hunting or protection.The scene of the paw print
Imagine an Anatolian artisan shaping a brick in a mold, then letting it dry. A stray dog stepped on the still soft surface, leaving a paw print that remained for 4,000 years until the brick became part of a collapsed house.Archaeological significance
Professor Erkan Fidan, who led the excavation at Tavşanlı Höyük, calls the paw print a touching insight into the relationship between humans and dogs. However, he acknowledges that it is unclear whether this particular dog was a companion in the modern sense.Tavşanlı Höyük’s history
Tavşanlı Höyük is an ancient site in western Turkey, built about 8,000 years ago. The brick with the paw print comes from a house that collapsed in a fire around 2000 BCE, allowing scientists to precisely date the imprint.Dogs in Anatolia for millennia
Professor Fidan says the discovery confirms that dogs were part of the daily lives of Anatolian villages as early as the Bronze Age. Their presence suggests they were integrated into human activities, not just occasional visitors.Early domestication in Pınarbaşı
A study in the journal Nature identified some of the oldest genetically confirmed domesticated dogs at the Pınarbaşı site, dated to around 15,800 years ago. These dogs were buried with humans, showing an emotional bond from that time.Dogs and humans in caves
In a cave in northwest Italy, archaeologists found dog paw prints older than those in Anatolia, overlapping with human footprints. This suggests that dogs and humans may have traveled together in prehistoric times.Long history of coexistence
While the exact origins of dog domestication remain unclear, evidence from sites across Eurasia, including Italy and Anatolia, shows a long history of close interaction between humans and dogs. This bond has endured through time, even surviving the collapse of ancient homes.
