Abstract
The topic of prehistoric dogs has seldom been explored in Ohio Hopewell archaeology. Paucity of information, unreliable data, and occasionally irreverent attitudes concerning canid remains in antiquity demonstrate the significance of new approaches to comparative osteometric studies. The purpose of this paper is to describe the canid remains from Site 40, located in Pickaway County, Ohio, and compare them metrically to the four canid specimens from Brown’s Bottom #1, located in Ross County, Ohio, all of which are curated at SUNY Geneseo. Additionally, to maximize the contrast, a comparison is made with the wolf/dog skeleton from the Philo II, Fort Ancient culture site, located in Muskingum County, Ohio, which is also curated at SUNY Geneseo. Precise reconstruction of the fragmented remains of the Site 40 canid, especially those of the cranium, was achieved according to MRM5 standards, facilitating osteometric analysis. The principal osteometric data which are explored statistically are derived from 44 specific measurements as explicitly outlined by WM G. Haag (1948), and others. Data collected from the Site 40 canid remains is expected to align with the Brown’s Bottom #1 canid specimens. If analyses at the magnitude of human remains is conducted, the symbiotic nature of domestic canids’ cooperation with Ohio Hopewell people will be clarified. The interpretation of these data may generate a more holistic understanding of domestic dogs in Ohio Hopewell culture and the Eastern Woodlands in general.
