A multidisciplinary study of Iberian Chalcolithic dogs

Domesticated dogs have been present in the Iberian Peninsula long before other domesticated species, back to late Palaeolithic period. Their origin is still uncertain, but were already well established during Chalcolithic period (ca. 5000–4000 BP). This study employed a multidisciplinary approach comprising osteometric, radiographic and palaeogenomic analyses characterize Canis remains. Two archaeological sites – Leceia, Oeiras, Portugal, El Casetón de la Era, Villalba los Alcores, Valladolid, Spain main focus of this study. Osteometric odontometric data from eleven Iberia also included. results show signs phenotypic variability, likely result human-driven selective pressure. Dental dental wear allowed age at death estimation for four individuals (two juvenile two adults). Three had their mitogenomes resequenced mitochondrial DNA analysis assign each individual major known haplogroups A C. Molecular sex infered by chromosomeX/chromosome1 coverage ratio identify one female males. unveils some aspects dogs: these exhibited various morphotypes whose profiles might be associated performance certain tasks, as distinct lineages that help tracking evolutionary paths dogs.