Investigating Genetic Structure and Dietary Ecology through Ancient DNA and Stable Isotopic Analysis of Prehistoric Dogs from San Nicolas Island, California

Summary

The study of prehistoric dogs has become a global trend. Not only did they fulfill a variety of roles and were an important part of past human societies, but they can be used to understand human-modified environments and human movement. On the California Channel Islands the domestic dog has been shown to be a significant component of the archaeological record. Dogs are uncovered in a variety of cultural contexts and their presence on the islands dates to the middle Holocene. Despite their cultural significance, little is known about prehistoric dogs on the Channel Islands. In this study ancient DNA and stable isotope analysis was performed on dog remains recovered from San Nicolas Island, California, from both known archaeological contexts and those collected by Loye Miller during the early 20th century. Preliminary aDNA results identified a mtDNA clade novel to the Americas and isotopic data suggest that these animals primarily subsisted on marine resources. The purpose of this research is to develop data that can be used to elicit information on the genetic lineage and diversity of Channel Island dogs, along with their dietary ecology. In addition this research underscores the importance of revisiting legacy archaeological and natural history collections.

SAA 2015 abstracts made available in tDAR courtesy of the Society for American Archaeology and Center for Digital Antiquity Collaborative Program to improve digital data in archaeology. If you are the author of this presentation you may upload your paper, poster, presentation, or associated data (up to 3 files/30MB) for free. Please visit http://www.tdar.org/SAA2015 for instructions and more information.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Nose to Tail: An Interdisciplinary Look at Dogs in the Past   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage