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An Osteometric Analysis of Southeastern Prehistoric Domestic Dogs

This study examines the morphological variation present in prehistoric and early historic aboriginal dogs recovered from sites in the southeastern United States. Over 200 dogs from 40 archaeological sites in the southeastern United States were examined using 141 measurements. These sites range in age between 7450 BP to 220 BP. Additionally, 26 prehistoric dogs from the West Indies and 27 prehistoric dogs from the northern United States were compared to the southeastern samples. Univariate and bivariate analysis shows both homogeneity and variation in the morphology of the dogs in the southeastern region. In the Archaic dogs no morphological differences were present, indicating a single morphological type. This same type of dog was also the most common in the Woodland through early Historic period. However, two additional, morphologically distinct, types of dogs were also present by the Woodland period. This indicates that by the Woodland period three distinct dogs were present in the southeastern region. Shoulder height estimates do indicate both smaller and larger dogs in the later cultural periods. No significant differences were seen between dogs from different cultural periods. Dogs from the West Indies and dogs from the northern United States show similar morphology to most of the southeastern dogs. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Masters of Science. / Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2008. / Date of Defense: June 3, 2008. / Archaeology, Morphology, Osteometric, Domestic Dogs / Includes bibliographical references. / Glen H. Doran, Professor Directing Thesis; Rochelle A. Marrinan, Committee Member; William Parkinson, Committee Member.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_168925
ContributorsWorthington, Brian E. (authoraut), Doran, Glen H. (professor directing thesis), Marrinan, Rochelle A. (committee member), Parkinson, William (committee member), Department of Anthropology (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution)
PublisherFlorida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish, English
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, text
Format1 online resource, computer, application/pdf

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