Ancient Maya Hauled ‘Little Fat Dogs’ 400 Miles Across The Jungle

Think about how far you would travel to get the perfect dog. For the ancient Maya, the journey required hauling small dogs across hundreds of miles of rugged mountains and dense jungles. Long before modern kennel clubs existed, people in Mesoamerica bred, raised, and traded specialty dogs.

We have long known the Maya operated a sprawling economy fueled by jade, obsidian, and pottery. Now, a new study adds a living, breathing layer to this ancient economy.

By analyzing chemical signatures locked inside ancient teeth, an international team of archaeologists discovered that highland Maya communities in southern Mexico imported dogs from lowland kingdoms up to 400 miles away. The evidence proves that live animals formed a massive, highly organized part of the Maya trade network between A.D. 400 and 800.

“Dogs are the oldest domesticated animal worldwide,” Elizabeth Paris, an archaeologist specializing in the ancient Maya at the University of Calgary, told National Geographic.

“The Maya valued those relationships and honestly, went through a lot of time and trouble to get special dogs and to breed special dogs.”