On October 22, during the 2024 China Archaeological Conference on Plants and Animals held in Zhengzhou, I had the opportunity to speak with researchers who have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding ancient dog DNA from the Honghe site in Heilongjiang Province. Their analysis revealed evidence of cultural exchange between the eastern and western parts of Eurasia as far back as 6,000 to 5,500 years ago in Northeast China.
Wang Xingcheng, a PhD student from Jilin University’s School of Archaeology, explained that his team focused on analyzing ancient DNA from canine remains found at the Honghe site. They aimed to reconstruct the subsistence patterns of ancient humans during the transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age while also exploring potential cultural exchanges.
The Honghe site, located in Qiqihar city, has yielded an extensive array of animal bones. Among the identified species are primitive cattle, horses, sika deer, roe deer, wild boars, wolves, dogs, foxes, raccoon dogs, badgers, rabbits, as well as numerous fish and bird species. Notably, dogs were the only domesticated animals in the Neolithic era. The research team collected 29 dog samples from the site, which date back from the late Neolithic to the Bronze Age, with most samples coming from residential areas.
The findings indicate that haplogroup A is the primary maternal lineage for the dogs at the Honghe site. Most of these A-type dogs show genetic similarities to those in Northeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, while remaining genetically distant from ancient samples found in other parts of China. Interestingly, a few samples share closer genetic ties with ancient dogs from the Americas and Russia’s Far East, suggesting possible connections. Additionally, haplogroups B and C, which are predominant in European dogs, were also identified at the site.
According to archaeological records, there has been a history of frequent migration and exchange between human populations in the eastern and western parts of Eurasia. The earliest C-type dogs in China have been found at the Dongmingga site in Heilongjiang, dating to around 6,000 to 5,500 years ago, while B-type dogs appeared in the late Neolithic layers at the Honghe site.
Wang emphasized that the discovery of B-type and C-type dogs in Northeast China indicates that, at the very latest, cultural exchanges between eastern and western Eurasian populations were occurring in this region at least 6,000 to 5,500 years ago. The presence of B-type dogs, closely related to European breeds, suggests a long-term influence from European canines rather than a transient one.
He further noted that the close relationship between dogs and humans typically aligns the routes of dog dissemination with human migration and interaction patterns. This study underscores that during the late Neolithic to Bronze Age period, ancient dogs from the Honghe site were influenced by European dog breeds, with this impact primarily spreading eastward along the Eurasian steppes and moving south into the Nenjiang River basin.
The research findings have been published this year in the international archaeological journal, “Archaeological Science: Reports.”
