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14,000-years ago, there was a funeral.
A man, a woman, a puppy, & an adult dog were buried, together - as they had been, in life.
Humans Cared for Sick Puppies Long Ago, Ancient Burial Shows
the pup was about 7-MO when he died; he'd survived at least 2, maybe 3 crises of canine distemper, which would have been lethal without intensive human care.
The man, around 40, had 2 healed fractures; both he & the woman, who was about 25, had some nasty dental problems.
They were buried with various talismans & tools - a bone pin, a carved elk, a deer's tooth. // The grave, after such a long time, was not intact - many bones were missing, so of course we know that other things are also gone: any clothing, a necessaries bag with extra flint knives & spare arrowheads, dry tinder, a bow-string, medicinal herbs, & such.
We don't know in what position each was buried - foetal? Supine? - Were they sprinkled with pollen, or dusted with red-clay to mimic their rebirth in another life? We don't know.
What we do know, is that for at least half that pup's lifetime, he was sick - incapable of hunting or working, needing to be fed, cleaned, & tended; but he was loved, & cared for, as best they knew how.
Some things have not changed.
- terry
.
14,000-years ago, there was a funeral.
A man, a woman, a puppy, & an adult dog were buried, together - as they had been, in life.
Humans Cared for Sick Puppies Long Ago, Ancient Burial Shows
the pup was about 7-MO when he died; he'd survived at least 2, maybe 3 crises of canine distemper, which would have been lethal without intensive human care.
The man, around 40, had 2 healed fractures; both he & the woman, who was about 25, had some nasty dental problems.
They were buried with various talismans & tools - a bone pin, a carved elk, a deer's tooth. // The grave, after such a long time, was not intact - many bones were missing, so of course we know that other things are also gone: any clothing, a necessaries bag with extra flint knives & spare arrowheads, dry tinder, a bow-string, medicinal herbs, & such.
We don't know in what position each was buried - foetal? Supine? - Were they sprinkled with pollen, or dusted with red-clay to mimic their rebirth in another life? We don't know.
What we do know, is that for at least half that pup's lifetime, he was sick - incapable of hunting or working, needing to be fed, cleaned, & tended; but he was loved, & cared for, as best they knew how.
Some things have not changed.
- terry
.
