Year of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Arts (MA)
Degree Name
Anthropology (Forensic and Biological Anthropology)
Department or School/College
Anthropology
Committee Chair
Dr. Meradeth Snow
Committee Co-chair
Dr. Anna Prentiss
Commitee Members
Meradeth Snow, Kristine Pilgrim, Anna Prentiss
Keywords
aDNA, mtDNA, archaeology, dogs, ancestry, British Columbia
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Biological and Physical Anthropology
Abstract
Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) hold an unquantifiable level of cultural influence and companionship across swathes of societies all over the globe. While dogs are genetically very distinct from Homo sapiens, throughout human history the two organisms have spread across the world together and have biologically gone through similar selective, social, and environmental constraints. Today the biological makeup of dog breeds is incredibly diverse, however, the archaeological record and genetic research has provided insight into the humble beginnings of a relationship between humans and dogs that has transcended the fabric of emerging civilization itself. Located on the Northwest interior plateau, Bridge River (Eer14) dog remains (N=20) provide insights into the BR 1-3 (1800-1000 cal. B.P.) period. Bridge River Dogs have been hypothesized to play several major roles in Lillooet society: hunting, material, food resources, ritual sacrifice, labor, protection, and wealth status prestige. This thesis uses modern aDNA approaches and mtDNA analysis to uncover the genetic relationships between Canis remains found in house pit 54 during the BR2 (1600-1300 cal. B.P.) and BR3 (1300-1000 cal. B.P.) periods. Results indicate close genetic similarities to other C. familiaris remains found in Northwest British Columbia and show that dogs at Bridge River were used for complex subsistence practices in a trans-egalitarian society. HV1 results revealed a minimum number of individuals (MNI) of seven within the House pit 54 stratigraphic layers. This is the first study to target the CYTB region on Canis remains in Northwestern B.C. in a bioarcheological context. Results indicate CYTB is a reliable region for species identification with a short base pair fragment and revealed no hybridization with Canis lupus.
Recommended Citation
Warnick, Seth, "Complexities of Companionship: Exploring the Human-Dog Relationship Through mtDNA Analysis of Bridge River Canine Remains" (2024). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12365.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12365
Included in
© Copyright 2024 Seth Warnick