Extinct fox once man's best friend?
WORLD 11 April 2024 - 22:00
BBC carries an article about foxes which was a highly valued companion or pet of ancient humans, Caliber.Az reprints the article.
Our ancestors may have kept foxes as pets long before domestic dogs came on the scene.
Archaeological evidence suggests ancient human societies in South America revered foxes to such an extent that they were buried next to them.
Scientists were surprised to find a fox buried in a human grave dating back 1,500 years in Patagonia, Argentina.
They think the most likely explanation is that the fox was a highly valued companion or pet.
DNA analysis shows the animal dined with prehistoric hunter gatherers and was part of the inner circle of the camp.
A fox of the same species was found in a much older grave in another part of Argentina nearly a decade ago. It may also have been a pet but its diet was not analysed.
"This is a very rare find of having this fox that appears to have had such a close bond with individuals from the hunter-gatherer society," said Dr Ophélie Lebrasseur of the University of Oxford.
"I think it was more than just symbolic; I really do think it was companionship."
The fox was found at the burial site of Cañada Seca in Argentina, which was once inhabited by groups of hunter-gatherers.
Teeth of wild foxes have been found in ancient human burial sites across Argentina and Peru, suggesting the animal had symbolic significance.
But the discovery of a near-complete skeleton of a fox in a human grave is extremely rare in the worldwide archaeological record.
The fox, which goes by the scientific name, Dusicyon avus, was of a medium size weighing 10-15 kg. It went extinct around 500 years ago, a few hundred years after domestic dogs arrived in Patagonia.
The research was carried out in collaboration with Dr Cinthia Abbona of the Institute of Evolution in Mendoza, Argentina, and published in the journal, RoyalSociety Open Science.
Caliber.Az
1
|
UN admits error: Gaza death toll overestimated, women and children nearly 50% fewer Israeli FM urges Guterres to resign
14 May 2024 - 09:34
|
2
|
Paris' conundrum: Pashinyan over Karabakh clan Assessing France's position on Baku-Yerevan talks
14 May 2024 - 10:40
|
3
|
All eyes on November 2024: Baku, Yerevan on verge of historic peace deal Nations poised to reconcile without mediators
15 May 2024 - 10:33
|
4
|
Ethnic minorities in Iran struggle against exploitation amid resource wealth Ethnic minority marginalization
14 May 2024 - 17:59
|
5
|
Latvia, Azerbaijan forge closer economic ties Exploring investment opportunities
14 May 2024 - 17:36
|
Ukraine aiming its ATACMS rockets at Russia’s most fearsome MiG-31 interceptors
17 May 2024 - 07:04
Germany’s government barely holding together
17 May 2024 - 05:09
US tariffs on Chinese green tech spur trade tensions
Opinion by Financial Times17 May 2024 - 03:05
The Economist: Xi-Putin partnership is not a marriage of convenience
17 May 2024 - 01:03
Foreign Affairs: Taiwan is the new Berlin
16 May 2024 - 23:01
Georgia supports border delimitation process between Armenia & Azerbaijan
16 May 2024 - 20:47
Armenian archbishop calls for urgent ousting of government over ‘criminal path’
16 May 2024 - 20:38
Erdogan: Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal represents historic opportunity
16 May 2024 - 20:29
Robert Fico's condition deemed grave, president-elect briefly visits amid health concerns
16 May 2024 - 20:19
Russia hails any peace initiatives for Ukraine - Kremlin spokesman
16 May 2024 - 20:01
EBRD, USAID forge partnership to boost Trans-Caspian transport route development
16 May 2024 - 19:41
Israel increases its military contingent in Rafah
16 May 2024 - 19:23
South Africa airs plans to open diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan
16 May 2024 - 19:10
Azerbaijan: A beacon of religious tolerance
The Washington Times article16 May 2024 - 18:58
Azerbaijani embassy in Latvia marks Independence Day & diplomatic relations
16 May 2024 - 18:54
Netherlands scuttles Russia’s participation in UNESCO International Conference
16 May 2024 - 18:46
US interior department staffer is first Jewish Biden appointee to resign over war in Gaza
16 May 2024 - 18:33
Microsoft offers relocation to hundreds of China-based AI staff amid US-China tech tensions
16 May 2024 - 18:20
Speaker of Latvian Saeima to visit Azerbaijan
16 May 2024 - 18:07
Slovak MFA expresses appreciation to Ilham Aliyev for demonstrating support
16 May 2024 - 17:55
Bucharest chosen as base for joint power company of four nations
16 May 2024 - 17:42
France's coercive colonial policies in New Caledonia
Hypocrisy, repression, struggle for self-determination16 May 2024 - 17:29
Political unrest in Armenia & Georgia amid Azerbaijan's rebuilding efforts in Karabakh
South Caucasus in flux16 May 2024 - 17:18
Assassination attempt on Slovak PM as a harbinger of tension in Europe
Proponents of peace under fire16 May 2024 - 17:06
Azerbaijan, China explore solar energy cooperation in liberated areas
16 May 2024 - 16:55
Azerbaijani, Armenian Parliament Speakers meet in Geneva
16 May 2024 - 16:54
Rheinmetall to open air defence manufacturing plant in Ukraine
16 May 2024 - 16:42
Georgian PM off to Türkiye for high-level meetings
16 May 2024 - 16:30
Understanding Xi Jinping's visit to Paris
Implications for China-EU relations/VIDEO16 May 2024 - 16:20
Russia, China issue joint demand for US to halt military-biological activities
16 May 2024 - 16:18
Paving roads to future: Aghdam's renaissance in motion
VIDEO16 May 2024 - 16:06
COP29 holds great importance in informing sectors about their climate change commitments
UN Resident Coordinator says16 May 2024 - 15:53
Azerbaijan, Belarus ink range of diverse agreements
PHOTO16 May 2024 - 15:52
ICRC personnel visit Karabakh separatists in Baku pre-trial detention centre
16 May 2024 - 15:43
Azerbaijani, Belarusian presidents affirm strong bilateral ties in expanded meeting
16 May 2024 - 15:43
Azerbaijan's COP hosting garners pride from Turkish committee chair
16 May 2024 - 15:31
Azerbaijan focuses on climate action and energy transition ahead of COP29
Climate change champion's interview with Business Green16 May 2024 - 15:13
Armenian PM replaces troops on border with Azerbaijan with border guards
16 May 2024 - 15:13
Iran summons Australian charge d’affaires over "illegal sanctions"
16 May 2024 - 14:54
Georgia accuses EU FMs of aiding government overthrow attempt
16 May 2024 - 14:37