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 than accidental death or famine-driven consumption reports Live Science.
- Butchered Dogs Consumed by Bronze Age Wolf Warriors in Rites and Ceremonies
- The Mysterious Thracians: Unveiling Their Unique Culture and Legacy
The Evidence: Cuts, Burns, and Food Waste Contexts
Zooarchaeologist Stella Nikolova examined dog remains from across Bulgaria’s Iron Age (roughly 5th–1st centuries BC). At Pistiros, she reported that nearly 20% of the examined dog bones had cut marks from metal tools, with some burned teeth on lower jaws, possibly from fire being used to remove fur.
What makes the interpretation more persuasive is where the bones were found. Butchered dog remains were mixed into refuse from feasts and domestic trash deposits, alongside plentiful remains of conventional food animals—cattle, sheep, pigs, birds, fish, and wild mammals—suggesting dog was not eaten due to desperation, but as a culturally meaningful choice.
Thrace, Feasting, and Taboo Foods
The communities involved are generally associated with Thrace, a region in the northeastern Mediterranean world whose Iron Age societies are often discussed through a mix of archaeology and Greek/Roman commentary. While “dog as food” feels shocking to many modern readers, it’s a reminder that ideas about edible animals shift across time and place and can differ even within the same region.
Feasts themselves are not just big meals; archaeologists often treat them as social tools, public moments where communities negotiate status, identity, and belonging through shared food and drink. That broader context helps explain why an unusual protein might appear in celebratory waste, not because it was needed, but because it meant something.
- How Feasting Rituals Helped Lead to a Civilized World
- Ancient Irish Pagans Made Epic Journeys for Ceremonial Feasts
Ariel view of an excavation area in Pistiros, Bulgaria. (Ivan.giogio/CC BY-SA 4.0)
A Site in Focus: Emporion Pistiros and Shifting Attitudes Toward Dogs
Emporion Pistiros is particularly useful because it was a busy exchange hub located far inland, helping connect local communities with wider trade networks. The University of Liverpool’s project notes the site’s wealth of finds and emphasizes that animal bone forms the bulk of the organic remains - making it a strong setting for dietary reconstruction.
One striking detail in the reporting is that attitudes may have changed over time at Pistiros: earlier phases show butchery evidence, while later layers reportedly include intact dog burials. If that pattern holds up across more sites, it could indicate a real cultural shift with dogs moving from utilitarian guard animals (and occasional food) toward a more protected or symbolically valued role.
Top image: Dog skull. Source: Mineral Vision/Adobe Stock
By Gary Manners
References
Mitchel, R., 2024. The Mysterious Thracians: Unveiling Their Unique Culture and Legacy. Available at: /history-important-events-famous-people/thracians-0021213
Karasavvas, T. 2017. Butchered Dogs Consumed by Bronze Age Wolf Warriors in Rites and Ceremonies. Available at: /news-history-archaeology/butchered-dogs-consumed-bronze-age-wolf-warriors-rites-ceremonies-008570
Killgrove, K. 2026. 2,500 years ago, people in Bulgaria ate dog meat at feasts and as a delicacy, archaeological study finds. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2-500-years-ago-people-in-bulgaria-ate-dog-meat-at-feasts-and-as-a-delicacy-archaeological-study-finds
Stanish, C. 2018. How Feasting Rituals Helped Lead to a Civilized World. Available at: /news-evolution-human-origins/civilization-0010324
University of Liverpool. Date unknown. Ancient Pistiros: a Classical emporium at Adjiyska Vodenitsa, Vetren (Bulgaria). Available at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/archaeology-classics-and-egyptology/research/projects/ancient-pistiros/
