How certain is dog domestication dating?

  • Thread starter Blackberg
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In summary, the hypothesis that early domestication of dogs may have facilitated human innovation ranks at an uncertain level (between 1 and 9) to an anthropologist. This is based on genetic and archaeological evidence suggesting that dog domestication occurred between 9,000 and 34,000 years ago. However, there is still much uncertainty and discrepancy in the accuracy of dates estimated from genetic evidence alone. Further research and consideration of other forms of evidence is necessary to provide a more accurate understanding of this topic.
  • #1
Blackberg
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I'm mostly trained as a physicist, so I'm wondering, on a scale from crackpot (1) to imressive (9), where does this hypothesis rank to an anthropologist?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618214002729?showall=true&via=ihub

"I hypothesize that this innovation may have been facilitated by an early attempted domestication of dogs, as indicated by a group of genetically and morphologically distinct large canids which first appear in archaeological sites at about 32 ka B.P. (uncal)."
 
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  • #2
Blackberg said:
I'm mostly trained as a physicist, so I'm wondering, on a scale from crackpot (1) to imressive (9), where does this hypothesis rank to an anthropologist?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618214002729?showall=true&via=ihub

"I hypothesize that this innovation may have been facilitated by an early attempted domestication of dogs, as indicated by a group of genetically and morphologically distinct large canids which first appear in archaeological sites at about 32 ka B.P. (uncal)."
So, what are you trying to propose?

Dogs were domesticated between 9,000 and 34,000 years ago

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/01/study-narrows-origin-dogs
 
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  • #4
Evo said:
Dogs were domesticated between 9,000 and 34,000 years ago
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/01/study-narrows-origin-dogs

It's worth noting that estimating dates from DNA sequences (as the PLoS Genetics paper you are citing does) can often lead to vastly different estimates depending on the exact methods used. From the Nature news piece:

Last year, population geneticist David Reich of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and his colleagues compared the genome of a 45,000-year-old human from Siberia with genomes of modern humans and came up with the lower mutation rate2. Yet just before the Leipzig meeting, which Reich co-organized with Kay Prüfer of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, his team published a preprint article3 that calculated an intermediate mutation rate by looking at differences between paired stretches of chromosomes in modern individuals (which, like two separate individuals’ DNA, must ultimately trace back to a common ancestor). Reich is at a loss to explain the discrepancy. “The fact that the clock is so uncertain is very problematic for us,” he says. “It means that the dates we get out of genetics are really quite embarrassingly bad and uncertain.”
(emphasis mine)

Now, a lot of careful work has been done calibrating the human "molecular clock," but it's unclear whether similar careful work has been done on dogs to see, for example, whether mutation rates have changed throughout history in various dog and wolf populations. Work in this area is certainly still evolving and dates estimated from genetic evidence alone should invite skepticism. Such estimates must take into account archaeological, anthropological, and other forms of evidence as well.
 
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1. How do scientists determine the age of dog domestication?

Scientists use various methods such as radiocarbon dating, genetic analysis, and archaeological evidence to determine the age of dog domestication. These methods involve studying the DNA of ancient dog remains, analyzing the changes in dog skeletal structure over time, and examining the artifacts and tools used by early humans in relation to dog domestication.

2. What evidence supports the dating of dog domestication?

There is strong evidence to suggest that dogs were domesticated around 15,000-30,000 years ago. This evidence includes the genetic similarities between modern dogs and ancient wolf populations, the presence of dog remains in human settlements from the same time period, and the development of specific dog breeds through selective breeding.

3. How accurate are the dating methods used for dog domestication?

The accuracy of dating methods for dog domestication can vary depending on the technique used and the quality of the samples. Radiocarbon dating, for example, can provide a range of dates with a margin of error. However, when multiple techniques are used and cross-referenced, the estimated age of dog domestication becomes more reliable.

4. Are there any controversies surrounding the dating of dog domestication?

There is ongoing debate among scientists about the exact timing and location of dog domestication. Some studies suggest that dogs were domesticated in Europe, while others propose a domestication event in Asia. Additionally, there are differing opinions on whether domestication occurred in one single event or through multiple events over time.

5. What impact does the dating of dog domestication have on our understanding of human history?

The dating of dog domestication has significant implications for our understanding of human history. It provides insights into the relationship between humans and animals, the development of agriculture and settlements, and the spread of human populations. It also sheds light on the cultural and societal factors that influenced the domestication of dogs and the evolution of our relationship with them.

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