The remains of a Neolithic dog have been found in the Swedish wetland, Logsjömossen, alongside a polished bone dagger.
It was believed that the remains were dated to about 5,000 years ago, when the wetland was a shallow lake. Examinations show that the dog was muscular, about 20 inches tall at the shoulder, and died between the ages of three and six.
Archaeologists explained that the dog might have been an offering, wrapped in a bag weighted with stones for it to sink in the lake. Between its legs was the dagger, which was made of elk or deer bone, with a measurement of almost 10 inches long.
Archaeologist Linus Hagberg explained, “The use of dogs in ritual practices during this period is a known phenomenon, but each discovery of this nature adds new nuances.”
Hagberg also added that, “The life history of this dog can, in turn, tell us more about how the people who owned it lived and sustained themselves.”
Image: Arkeologerna via Facebook.