Were Dogs Domesticated 33,000 Years Ago?

Were Dogs Domesticated 33,000 Years Ago?

How many of you have a pet dog?  I’ve had dogs most of my life. I’ve had beagles, blood hounds, Alaskan huskies, German shepherds and Maltese.  They are all loveable in their own way, but I have to say that Maltese are my favorites.  We currently have two adorable Maltese, Timothy (named after Timothy in the New Testament) and Fiona (named after the lead character in the musical Brigadoon).
Dogs have been part of man’s culture for centuries.  They have been used for hunting, for herding livestock and for companionship.  Most of the scientific evidence points to wolves as being the ancestors of modern dogs, but there seems to be a difference of opinion of when the domestication of dogs first took place.
One of the more popular evolution sites, PBS – Evolution, states:
“How and when this domestication happened has been a matter of speculation. It was thought until very recently that dogs were wild until about 12,000 years ago. But DNA analysis published in 1997 suggests a date of about 130,000 years ago for the transformation of wolves to dogs. This means that wolves began to adapt to human society long before humans settled down and began practicing agriculture.”
“This earlier timing casts doubt on the long-held myth that humans domesticated dogs to serve as guards or companions to assist them. Rather, say some experts, dogs may have exploited a niche they discovered in early human society and got humans to take them in out of the cold.”
Now, another study has been published indicating that dogs may have been first domesticated around 33,000-36,000 years ago.  This new assumption is based upon the discovery of a dog skull found in the Altai Mountains in Siberia which was dated to around 33,000 years ago, and another dog skull found in the Goyet Cave in Belgium which they dated to around 36,000 years ago.
Researchers examined the physical characteristics of both skulls and it was determined that they more closely resembled those of domestic dogs than wolves. Next they extracted DNA from the incisor and jaw bone of the Altai dog skull, and ran that DNA to compare with known samples of 72 different dog breeds, 30 wolves, 4 coyotes, and 35 extinct species of canines.
When the DNA analysis came back, the researchers found that it shared more traits in common with known domestic breeds of dogs than it did with wolves. They felt this confirmed their physical analysis of the skull which indicated that it was more dog than wolf.
This evidence led the researchers conclude that if the Altai dog was truly domesticated, that it would push back the origin of domestication by more than 15,000 years. It would also mean that dogs were first domesticated in Asia and not the Middle East or East Asia as previously thought.
Both the physical and DNA analysis of the dog’s skulls show evidence of good scientific technique.  However their interpretation of that evidence is not based on science but upon their presuppositions of millions of years of evolution. I on the other hand have to admit that I would also interpret that evidence based on my presupposition of beliefs of God’s account of creation as recorded in Genesis 1 and 2.
God originally created a wolf/dog kind that must have carried a great deal of genetic variation with in its DNA. At the time of the great flood, God provided the animals for Noah to take aboard the ark. He would’ve preserved animals that still had a great deal of genetic variation to allow them to adapt to the new world that would exist after the flood.
After the flood but dog kind would have bred very rapidly and dispersed across the land. As they began to breed and spread across the land various genetic traits would be lost by some populations and preserved in other populations. It would not have taken that long or that many generations before we would see wolves, coyotes, foxes, dingoes, zorros, and domestic dogs.
Not long after, man began to domesticate the dogs and breed them for various for various traits such as hunting, herding and companionship. This man was dispersed throughout the globe from the Tower of Babel he would’ve taken the various breeds of dogs with him. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to find the remains of dogs in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and even North and South America.
From a biblical perspective, dogs were first domesticated possibly before the flood, between 6000-4400 years ago. We can say for certain that they were domesticated not long after the flood perhaps 4400-4200 years ago.
Same science. Same evidence. Different interpretation, based upon the religious beliefs of the researchers and myself. Their religious belief is millions of years of godless random chances and mutations. My religious beliefs start with Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21.
Which makes more sense to you? Believing the word of fallible man or the word of the all-knowing Creator God?
Reference:
Evolution of the Dog, PBS: Evolution Library, PBS.org.
Pappas, Stephanie.  Dogs Domesticated 33,000 Years Ago, Skull Suggests, Live Science, March 6, 2013.

Genesis: A Commentary for Children

The beginning books of the Bible are essential to our understanding of God’s redemptive story.
The authorcreatively focuses our attention on the events that bring this story to life. The richness of well-written literature and the depth of understanding inherent in a commentary results in details that live and sing. They help parent and child understand the Christ-centered Word, and they are enjoyable reading for both.
Your own faith will be strengthened while reading to your children, and your children will be encouraged, lesson by lesson, to believe in the Lord Jesus.
“Bible commentaries for children? Yes, the depth of Bible commentaries in story form for parents to read to their children. This series of books provides what children need – solid truths to grow in to. Too much material for children is so light and fluffy that children are not encouraged to think great and glorious thoughts about God. These books are different. Artfully written, they beautifully draw out the implications of the Old Testament narrative that are foundational for Christian faith. I guarantee that your children will not want you to stop reading these books and you won’t want to stop either.” –Dr. Tedd Tripp, Pastor, Author, Conference Speaker
“The publication of commentaries for children on neglected biblical books such as Exodus and Leviticus is noteworthy in itself. For Christians have for too long starved their children of much of the nourishment of that Word which is ‘all… profitable’. But Nancy Ganz’s ‘Herein is Love’ series is very much more. Here, in fact, is a biblical theology, a re-telling of these ancient writings in the light of the whole Bible and with a firm grasp of its central thrilling theme – the redeeming love of God in Christ. Doctrinally sure-footed, warmly devotional and refined over years of practical teaching experience, these lessons will prove an invaluable resource for all those engaged in training children for God. As society drifts ever farther from biblical moorings, here is timely help towards preparing a new generation to stand steadfast in the faith and, by God’s grace, impact the world for King Jesus.” –Professor Ted Donnelly President, Reformed Theological College, Belfast