Archaeologists have identified what may be the world’s oldest known dog at a prehistoric hunter-gatherer site in what is now central Turkey, shedding new light on when humans first formed close ties with canines.
The remains were first uncovered in 2004 at Pınarbaşı, where a team led by Douglas Baird discovered three small canine skeletons placed in a pit directly above a human burial.
The unusual placement suggested a deliberate act, but the bones were too fragile at the time to determine whether they belonged to wolves or early domesticated dogs. Now, more than two decades later, researchers have confirmed the answer.
Human-dog relationship
Using advanced genetic testing, scientists analyzed ancient DNA from the remains and found that the animals were domesticated dogs. The findings, published in the journal Nature, date the burial to about 15,800 years ago—making it one of the earliest confirmed examples of dogs associated with humans.
The discovery pushes back the timeline of the human-dog relationship by thousands of years. Until recently, the oldest genetically confirmed dog dated to about 11,000 years ago.
Scientists have long known that dogs evolved from the gray wolf, but the timing and location of domestication have remained uncertain. Earlier finds suggested older dogs based on bone structure, but lacked DNA evidence to confirm their identity.
DNA links early dogs across Europe
The new research also examined ancient dogs from other parts of Europe, including Gough’s Cave in England and Kesslerloch in Switzerland. These sites date to about 14,300 and 14,200 years ago.
Genetic analysis showed that the dogs from all three locations were closely related. This was unexpected given the distances between the sites and the cultural differences among the people who lived there.
Lachie Scarsbrook said the Pınarbaşı specimen showed no signs of wolf ancestry, confirming it was fully domesticated. The research team, which included William Marsh, also found that these dogs shared genetic similarities with other ancient dogs from western Germany and southern Italy.
Ancient DNA confirms early dogs lived alongside hunter-gatherers, thousands of years earlier than thought. The human-dog bond just got much older.#Pınarbaşı #Turkey pic.twitter.com/97hwGcGI5x
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 25, 2026
The results suggest that dogs were already widespread across Europe by the end of the last Ice Age.
A shared origin despite different cultures
The genetic similarities point to a single early population of dogs. At Gough’s Cave, people belonged to the Magdalenian culture, known for cave art and complex rituals. In contrast, Pınarbaşı was home to Anatolian hunter-gatherers, ancestors of early farming communities.
Despite these differences among human groups, the dogs remained genetically similar. William Marsh said the pattern suggests that early dogs likely came from the same origin, even as human populations remained diverse.
Greger Larson described these early dogs as adaptable companions. Unlike modern breeds, they were not specialized and likely served multiple roles in daily life. Researchers believe groups linked to the Epigravettian culture may have helped spread dogs across Europe as they moved through the continent.
Dogs persisted through major human changes
A second study examined how dogs responded to later population shifts. When early farmers moved into Europe from the Near East about 9,000 years ago, they largely replaced existing human populations. Dogs, however, showed continuity.
Anders Bergström found that only about half of European dog DNA was replaced during this transition. This suggests that incoming farmers adopted local dogs rather than replacing them. Researchers say these dogs may have been better suited to local environments or more useful in daily tasks.
Burials show a growing bond
Further evidence from central Turkey highlights how the relationship evolved. At Boncuklu Höyük, a site occupied a few thousand years after Pınarbaşı, dogs were buried alongside humans rather than above them. The change suggests a deeper social or emotional connection.
The studies do not fully answer where dogs were first domesticated. However, the genetic evidence points to a shared origin and an early, widespread presence across Europe.
Together, the findings show that dogs became part of human life earlier than once thought and remained closely tied to people as societies changed over thousands of years.
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