Brown/ Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 2017 Debate Between ResearchersĪ fair number of researchers are not convinced by Anthony and Brown’s explanation though, as they can’t understand why at least sixty-four dogs and wolves were sacrificed at the Krasnosamarskoe settlement. Dogs’ heads were commonly chopped in pieces designated by lines on this skull. Most of the dogs were old, between six and twelve years, and in good health before they were sacrificed.Ĭrucial evidence is of the dogs being butchered into small pieces. Additionally, it was noticed that the canids were killed mostly during winter, based on microscopic analysis of growth lines in their teeth formed annually during warm and cold seasons. Yet, the dogs and wolves found at Krasnosamarskoe site had been roasted, fileted and chopped into bite-sized, 1 to 3-inch pieces enough evidence for one to hypothesize that they were most likely cooked and eaten. Researchers David Anthony and Dorcas Brown stated that dogs, however, account for more or less three percent of all animal bones previously excavated at each of six other Srubnaya settlements, so they have concluded that canines were not usually consumed and could have possibly been seen as a banned food for humans in the wider area. Those finds represent more than one-third of all animal bones uncovered at the site. What Evidence Prompted these Conclusions?Įxcavations at Krasnosamarskoe in 19 totaled a whopping 2,770 dog bones, eighteen wolf bones and six more bones that came from either dogs or wolves as Science News reported. However, the legendary themes involving dogs from 2,000 years ago appear to be somewhat different to the rites practiced 4,000 years ago as Anthony tells Science News, “We should look at myths across Eurasia to understand this archaeological site.” According to some ancient reports, the teenage warriors were “self-baptized” with names containing words for dogs or wolves, dressed with dog or wolf skins, while in rare cases, they would even consume the flesh of dogs during initiation ceremonies. The specific myths connect dogs and wolves to teenage bands of warriors. Man with wolf skin headdress ( CC BY-NC 2.0 ) As Science News reports, such initiation ceremonies correlate with myths mentioned in texts from as early as 2,000 years ago by speakers of Indo-European languages across Eurasia. David Anthony and Dorcas Brown, both of Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., speculate that chosen young males of the Srubnaya, or Timber Grave culture joined youth war bands in winter rites, where they “spiritually” transformed to dogs and wolves by consuming canine flesh. ![]() Researchers suggest that the peculiar finds could possibly provide the first archaeological evidence of war bands made up of male teenagers as they are described in ancient texts. ![]() The Obsession of Teenage Warrior Bands with Dogs and Wolves Archaeologists claim that remains of dogs and wolves found at the Srubnaya-culture settlement of Krasnosamarskoe in the Russian steppes, dating back to 1900–1700 BC, indicate that a ritual took place there in which the participants ate sacrificed dogs and wolves.
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