History

Evidence from animal bones excavated at multiple Iron Age sites in Bulgaria suggests that dog meat was eaten intentionally, sometimes as part of communal feasts, around 2,500 years ago. Researchers identified repeated butchery signatures, including cut marks from metal tools and traces of burning on canine jaws, implying skinning or singeing before cooking rather than casual disposal. The key case study, with results published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology comes from Emporion Pistiros, an inland trade center in ancient Thrace, where excavations recovered tens of thousands of animal remains. Dogs made up only a small proportion of the bone assemblage, yet a notable fraction of the dog bones carried clear butchery marks - evidence consistent with deliberate processing rather