World's oldest dog identified at ancient hunter-gatherer site: Bones of 15,800-year-old puppy push confirmed origin of our canine companions back nearly 5000 years.

The article focuses on recent genetic research confirming that dogs were domesticated at least 15,800 years ago, based on ancient DNA analysis of puppy remains found at the Pınarbaşı hunter-gatherer site in central Turkey. This discovery pushes back the confirmed origin of dogs by nearly 5,000 years and shows that early dogs were widespread across Europe, sharing a common ancestry despite diverse human cultures. The studies suggest that Epigravettian hunter-gatherers may have facilitated the spread of dogs throughout Europe and that later human migrations incorporated existing European dogs rather than replacing them entirely. While the exact geographic origin of dog domestication remains unresolved, the findings indicate a single common origin for ancient and modern dogs. [Extracted from the article]