Ancient people and dogs weren't always the best of friends.
This information was reported by Sky News , reports URA-Inform.
Scientists have discovered that another animal coexisted with people in ancient times and was their companion.
As it turned out, a long time ago, a person’s first assistant and friend could have been not a dog, but fox. Scientists made such conclusions by examining archaeological finds in the south of Argentina, dating back to 450 AD.
In Patagonia, in an ancient cemetery, among the human remains, the remains of foxes were found lying next to people. This proximity and analysis of the diet of these animals indicates that they could live together with people.
These foxes belonged to the extinct species Dusicyon avus and were the size of a modern German shepherd. Scientists, including experts from the University of Oxford, suggest that these animals could have been the first pets of ancient hunter-gatherers.
However, with the advent of modern dog breeds, the role of foxes as pets began to disappear, and they moved away into the background in a person's life.
Recall that it was previously reported which came first – the egg or the chicken: scientists finally found out the answer.
