In the 1980-90s, sites near Irkutsk were investigated for archaeological evidence of early nomadic groups. The area hosts a plethora of burials from early gatherer steppe societies. One central finding in the region involved evidence of domesticated dogs buried with people, alone, and for sacrifice.

The Lokomotiv site housed what archaeologists refer to as the “Lokomotiv wolf.” The wolf’s skull was approximately 10.5 inches long, its shoulder placed at a height of ~30 in. Isotope analysis revealed that the wolf’s diet was largely ungulates — and while there is little evidence to support the animals domestication, it was buried formally.

Other sites, such as in Shamanka II, provide full skeletons and evidence of injuries and diet. At Ust’-Belaia a dog was buried wearing a necklace of four red deer canine teeth pendants. Excavation at the Shamanskii Mys site revealed (see image) human remains surrounded in canine skeletons. Shamanskii Mys is, however, not an isolate and cemeteries in the region have unearthed several instances of dogs buried with human remains.

Field work east of the Baikal has also revealed canine remains buried with consumed and sacrificed animal bones. Whether domesticated dogs were eaten or sacrificed is not clear. However, this expresses the importance of context in these cemeteries. Canine bones, whether alone, with human artifacts or bones, or among other animal remains presents varying interpretations. Additionally, the dog burials have been dated and connected to different known tribes and time periods. Using the surrounding artifacts and ecofacts of a dig, canines can be understood as followers of nomadic humans, participants in culture, or simply food — or all three. In any case, the dogs of Lake Baikal teach us that context is king, and that dogs have been with humans since the beginning.

References —

K. Kris Hurst, “How and Why Dogs Were Domesticated” https://www.thoughtco.com/how-and-why-dogs-were-domesticated-170656

Robert Losey, et al., “Burying Dogs in Ancient Cis-Baikal, Siberia,” http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0063740#pone-0063740-t001

Image Sources (in order) —

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mietje_Germonpre/publication/229412056/figure/fig1/AS:340602022580224@1458217258116/Fig-1-Map-of-the-study-area-with-locations-of-sites-mentioned-in-the-text-indicated.png

“Burying Dogs,” http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0063740#pone-0063740-t001

Further Reading —

Andrzej Weber, et al., “Radiocarbon Dates from Neolithic and Bronze Age Hunter-Gatherer Cemetaries in the Cis-Baikal Region of Siberia,” https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/radiocarbon/article/viewFile/2855/2620

V.I. Bazaliiskiy, “The Wolf of Baikal,” https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+wolf+of+Baikal%3A+the+%22Lokomotiv%22+early+Neolithic+cemetery+in…-a0100484923