ISTANBUL, TURKEY—According to a Phys.org report, a recent study of a partial set of dog remains recovered from a tomb near western Turkey’s Aegean coast in 2007 suggests that the animal had a flat face resembling that of a modern French bulldog. Carbon dating indicates that the dog died between 1,942 and 2,118 years ago, making it the oldest known brachycephalic dog, while analysis of its teeth shows that it had not yet reached adulthood at the time of death. The well-treated pet may have therefore been killed in order to be buried with its human owner. The remains of a dog found at Pompeii represent the only other brachycephalic dog to have been found in the Roman Empire. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. To read about a dog that left behind paw prints in Roman Britain, go to "They're Just Like Us."
