Gainesville, Florida—Phys.org Susan DeFrance of the University of Florida and her colleagues analyzed the remains of two dogs whose graves were excavated in the Mocagua Valley in southern Peru, the report said. The remains of dogs buried about 1,100 years ago by the people of the Tiwanaku culture were naturally mummified. The first dog, a female with brown and white fur, was less than a year old at the time of her death. She was placed on a woven mat, probably wrapped in twine, and buried in a small pit in the village of Río Muerto. The second dog was a puppy no more than three months old at the time of death and was buried at Omo, a ceremonial centre. Researchers say that the dogs were buried with great care near people’s homes. Analysis of isotopes in the dogs’ bones, teeth, and hair shows that both dogs lived locally for their entire lives. The dog at Rio Muerto ate a diet of plants and meat similar to that eaten by villagers, suggesting that she lived with people and was fed scraps or leftover food. The pup buried at Omo ate more meat, suggesting that it may have searched for food away from residential areas. To read about the sacred city of the Tiwanaku people, visit “The rise and fall of Tiwanaku“
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