Travois Transport and Field Processing: the Role of Dogs in Intermountain and Plains Food Transport

Welker, Martin

doi:10.1007/s10745-020-00162-4

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 63 publications

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“…Several authors use osteometric data to address the relationship between dogs' body mass and their load bearing capacities (Losey et al, 2018; Pitulko & Kasparov, 2017; Welker, 2021). Welker and Byers' (2019) study on dog transport capacity draws upon Henderson's (1994) experimental data on travois use in the Great Plains and load capacity estimations by the US War Department and recreational groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What can osteometric analyses tell us about domestic dogs recovered from a multicomponent indigenous site in Vermont?

Carder

Crock

Pinto³

2022

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Osteometric data from archaeological remains are fundamental in zooarchaeological analyses of domestic dogs. We apply recently developed methods to a small sample of dog remains recovered from the Ewing site, a multicomponent precontact Native American site in Vermont, northeastern North America. We measure dimensions of limb bone ends and pulp-width ratios from dental radiographs to estimate dog body mass and age at death based on published regression equations. Our analysis estimates the body mass of the Ewing dogs and demonstrates adult size differences characterized dogs in the precontact Northeast. Their range in size is consistent with supporting hunting activities rather than regular load transport. The range of ages of dogs in the sample suggests that dogs did not die only of old age. All of the Ewing dogs were butchered for food and/or skins. The osteometric analysis of the Ewing dogs contributes much needed osteometric data on dogs in northeastern America.Our results highlight the potential of small samples, legacy collections, and the importance of building a quantitative, comparative, osteometric dataset for the region.

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