Documenting the Ancient Origins of the Samoyed
Abstract Archaeological evidence indicates that the Samoyed has an extremely ancient inception, dating back at least to 5500 BCE. Excavations of Copper Age Botai culture settlements of horse herders in northern Kazakhstan have yielded numerous ritual dog burials that provide proof of the antiquity of Samoyeds. The shape, size and proportions of the Botai dog skulls and skeletons are remarkably close to those of modern Samoyeds. These findings support earlier DNA studies that identify the Samoyed as one of the 14 oldest breeds (Parker, et al.