Emily Chan
Alongside the bones of an infant were the remains of a large dog in a grave in northern Italy. The 2,000-year-old double burial was found near the city of Verona, not far from the banks of the Adige, which is the second-longest river in Italy.
The grave was just one among a handful of other burials containing human-animal pairs discovered in an Iron Age necropolis during excavations at the Seminario Vescoville.
Researchers believe that the infant’s grave may be the latest evidence pointing to the ancient idea of dogs being loyal human companions.
Overall, more than 160 graves of men, women, and children were found at the site. Most of them were buried with pottery, jewelry, or a few coins.
A few of the graves included the remains of various animals, such as goats, pigs, or chickens. They most likely represented food offerings for the deceased.
Four of the graves contained the remains of horses and dogs, which was unusual because these animals were not eaten by the people living in the region during that time.
A genetic analysis of the four individuals showed that none of them were related to each other. In one of the graves, a woman was buried with the remains of five horses, livestock animals, and a dog’s skull.
The grave of a man included partial remains of a horse. Another man was laid to rest alongside the bones of a small dog.
Lastly, there was the grave of a female infant and a large dog, which was about the size of a golden retriever.
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