Remains of ancient, indigenous dogs found at Jamestown, as well as proof people ate them

Phys dot org ^ | January 5, 2023 | Saleen Martin

[SunkenCiv]

Indigenous dogs roamed Jamestown in the early 17th century, and out of desperation during harsh winter months, some colonists ate them, researchers have proven.

A team of archaeologists at the University of Iowa was able to extract DNA from remains found at Jamestown and confirm that they belonged to ancient dogs that were likely wolf or coyote-sized.

It's the first time proof has ever been found that indigenous dogs were at Jamestown in the 17th century. The bones are part of an artifact collection owned by Jamestown Rediscovery, part of the historic preservation group called Preservation Virginia.

"They have lineages reaching back to some of the earliest introduction of dogs to North America, so around ... 13,000 years ago," said Ariane Thomas, a Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa.

[SunkenCiv]

• The Dixie Dingo [11/30/2001]
• Dingo's Origins Tracked By DNA [08/02/2004]

  ---

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[SunkenCiv]

Maybe your baby ate the dingo...

[Flatus I. Maximus]

I’m astonished. They had Mexican food in Jamestown?!

[DesertRhino]

I bet at some point Obama visited Jamestown. Could be that. We should look for photos of him there. Probably some of him eating some suspicious meat even.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Clever!

[SunkenCiv]

The rest of the Jamestown keyword, sorted, edited:

• The Native American Chief Who Drove Out Spanish Colonists -- and Nearly Expelled the English [12/09/2021]
• In Colonial Virginia It Was the Kids Who Mixed the Cultures That Became American [07/09/2020]
• Glenn Beck Declares War on Jamestown [12/20/2019]
• Headless body might be one of America's 1st politicians [07/25/2018]
• New named pipe found at Jamestown [11/01/2015]
• Mystery reliquary found under America's first Protestant church [07/30/2015]
• A Skeleton, a Catholic Relic, and a Mystery About American Origins [07/29/2015]
• Jamestown settlers ate 14-year-old girl, researchers say [03/18/2015]
• Starvation Cannibalism at Jamestown [01/19/2014]
• How Much Do We Really Know About Pocahontas? [11/03/2013]
• Colonial America's Oldest Unsolved Murder [06/25/2013]
• Long Live The Pig! [05/29/2013]
• 10 European colonies in America that failed before Jamestown [05/15/2013]
• Scientists Find Cannibalism at American Settlement (Jamestown, VA) [05/02/2013]
• Starving Settlers in Jamestown Colony Resorted to Cannibalism [05/02/2013]
• 'Proof' Jamestown settlers turned to cannibalism [05/01/2013]
• Archaeologists Unearth Rare 17th Century Find at Jamestown Excavations [06/26/2012]
• Ruins of Oldest Protestant Church in America Found at Jamestown [11/18/2011]
• The Unknown Story of Pocahontas. Learning the story of Jamestown, Virginia's survival. [05/14/2011]
• Jamestown unearths 400-year-old pipes for patrons (tobacco pipes) [12/31/2010]
• Mysterious Jamestown Tablet an American Rosetta Stone ? [01/17/2010]
• Mysterious Inscribed Slate Discovered at Jamestown [06/12/2009]
• Centuries-old slate discovered at Jamestown dig[VA] [06/08/2009]
• When US tried Communism [ History of Jamestown: 1607 to 1611 ] [10/31/2008]
• Archaeologist's 'Henrytowne' theory shakes up Virginia history [02/12/2007]
• Jamestown seeds reflect survival efforts [01/09/2007]
• 400-year-old pistol found on site of first American colonists(17th-century Scottish Pistol) [07/27/2006]
• Cache of artifacts found in Jamestown well [07/26/2006]
• Colonial Skeleton Stumps Archaeologists (Jamestown) [03/26/2006]
• A present built on the past - (original Jamestown 104 English would not recognize VA now!) [07/03/2005]
• Burial Shaft Found in Jamestown Search [06/14/2005]
• Scientists on mission to identify Jamestown skeleton [06/08/2005]
• Church Approves Jamestown DNA Removal [04/23/2005]
• Archaeologist Reveals Passion for America's Origin (Uncovered the Lost Remains Jamestown) [04/13/2005]
• Scientists Seek DNA Samples From British Church to Identify Possible Skeleton of Jamestown Founder [01/31/2005]
• Rethinking Jamestown [01/25/2005]
• Skull Fragment Suggests Evidence of Surgery From Colonial Days [06/17/2004]
• America's Lost Colony: Can New Dig Solve Mystery? [03/03/2004]
• Indians' Jamestown Role at Issue [02/17/2004]
• Flooded Artifacts Will be Back by '07 [Jamestown artifacts lost during Isabel] [10/20/2003]
• Site Seen as Possible Home of Pocahontas [05/07/2003]
• Staff Found With Body at Jamestown Fort [02/12/2003]
• Remains thought to be Jamestown (Va.) leader, discoverer of Cape Cod [02/11/2003]

[SunkenCiv]

Chinese takeout, just like Gavin Menzies thought.

[samiam5]

How did they prove the dogs were eaten out of desperation and not because they were made out of meat?

[DSH]

Not sure what the "in desperation" part of this is supposed to mean. Members of the Lewis & Clark expedition, tiring of elk meat (which they were able to provide for themselves in ample quantities), traded with the Mandan Indians for dogs, to add some variety to their diet.

Not something they would have likely done back home in the East, but reflexively projecting 21st century American sensibilities to the settlers at Jamestown is a bit silly.

[SunkenCiv]

Dunno, maybe you could write to the author of the article.

[SunkenCiv]

(time index to the dog scene)

Little Big Man 1970
Genaro Ragasa | 52 subscribers | 1.6K views | 2 weeks ago

[Clutch Martin]

“How did they prove the dogs were eaten out of desperation and not because they were made out of meat?”

Jamestown is just down the road from me. It us common knowledge they went through a rough period. They starved, were racked with disease, it fell apart and they had a river chock full of eel, sturgeon and oysters and they didn’t or couldn’t fish!

Plus they set up Jamestown in the middle of a mosquito infested malarial swamp. They could have gone 10 miles upriver and found good dry ground and much better water.

If they had gone up to Chesapeake Bay to the Choptank River they would have found peaceful tribes and plenty of waterfowl not to mention great fishing. It was an ill-conceived expedition which set up camp in one of the worst possible areas in the Tidewater region.

[Fai Mao]

“I’m astonished. They had Mexican food in Jamestown?!”

The Mexicans got the idea from British pubs.

[lepton]

There’s even signs of at least one cast of cannibalism.

[GaryCrow]

If they had gone up to Chesapeake Bay to the Choptank River they would have found peaceful tribes and plenty of waterfowl not to mention great fishing. It was an ill-conceived expedition which set up camp in one of the worst possible areas in the Tidewater region.

Jamestown was settled by a bunch of middle class city folk that had no idea how to handle a wilderness. They were woefully unprepared for what awaited them.

[Repeal The 17th]

When a human gets hungry it will eat whatever is available,
including other humans.

[SunkenCiv]

And for dessert, lady fingers!

[SunkenCiv]

It’s nice to be appreciated in my own time. ;^)

[SunkenCiv]

Ancient Siberian dogs relied on humans for seafood diets
ttps://phys.org/news/2022-07-ancient-siberian-dogs-humans-seafood.html

[samiam5]

Dues that equate to desperation, or is it just eating what’s available?