Die Rolle des Hundes in Siedlungen des Endmesolithikums und Neolithikums im norddeutschen Raum – Vorbericht

Abstract

The role of dogs in settlements of the Late Mesolithic and Neolithic in North Germany – preliminary report

Traces of cutting on bones of domestic dogs from 16 stone age settlements in Northern Germany suggest a regionally varying significance of these animals. In the settlements along the shore of the Northern and Baltic Seas the analysis of cutting traces proves that dogs often served to provide meat and hides. On the other hand the bones from inland settlements demonstrate that dogs were by far less frequently skinned and cut up. The relatively high proportion of bones of game at these sites supports the conclusion that dogs were presumably kept as hunting dogs for man whereas even there the occasional consumption of dogs cannot be excluded.