Dogs were one of the many animal companions that accompanied English settlers to Jamestown, Colony, Virginia, in the year 1607. In fact, one of the first recorded deaths at Jamestown was not a person but a dog, falling victim to a confrontation between the English and Virginia Indians days after the colony’s establishment. Another notable European dog brought to the Americas was a white greyhound, which King James I gifted to Chief Powhatan via his envoy, Captain John Smith, as a gesture of diplomacy.

However, the presence of dogs in the Americas predates European arrival. Indigenous peoples forged a strong bond with dogs and traveled to North America with them over 14,000 years ago. Dogs were valuable hunting partners and were buried, which is a marker of reverence among Indigenous communities in the region surrounding Jamestown.

While the existence of archaeological canine bones at Jamestown may not be surprising, their ancestry is a mystery. Do they descend from the lineage of dogs present in North America for thousands of years under the stewardship of Indigenous people? Or do they carry genetic dog lineages introduced by Europeans?

A recent study published in American Antiquity provides insight into these questions by examining the DNA of 20 canid bones excavated from Jamestown. The researchers identified six dogs with genetically similar DNA profiles to other ancient dogs from North America.

These results illuminate the relationship between Europeans and Indigenous people at Jamestown. The presence of dogs with Indigenous ancestry is congruent with Indigenous-produced artifacts and an extensive record of interactions between Chief Powhatan and his people with English settlers. Together, the evidence hints at the dynamic movements of local people and dogs in and out of Jamestown and indicates some of them were possibly permanent residents.

The emerging story of dogs at Jamestown highlights the strength of the bond between humans and animals. Exploring that relationship can unlock how the connection between humans and dogs has shaped our shared history.