A new study has revealed that the ancient Maya were trading live dogs over hundreds of miles, with isotopic analysis of animal bones from highland Chiapas sites showing that most of the dogs found there originated in distant lowland Maya kingdoms. The research, led by Dr. Elizabeth Paris of the University of Calgary, adds a remarkable living dimension to what was already known about Mesoamerican exchange networks, and raises intriguing questions about the role these animals played in Classic Maya society.
Tracing Origins Through Isotope Analysis
The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, focused on animal remains recovered from two Maya archaeological sites in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico: Moxviquil and Tenam Puente. Moxviquil was a hilltop town of around 1,000 residents, surrounded by funerary caves that contained both human and dog remains. Tenam Puente, a larger center of over 5,000 inhabitants, boasted a grand plaza, three ballcourt complexes, and a market area where dog remains were also found. Working with colleagues from the University of Ottawa, Purdue University, Southern Illinois University, and Mexican institutions, Paris and her team used strontium isotope analysis to determine the geographic origins of the animals.
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The archaeological site of Tenam Puente, where evidence of dogs traded across long distances have been discovered. (Elizabeth Paris/University of Calgary)
Strontium is an element absorbed by animals through food and water, and its isotopic ratio is determined by the local geology of wherever an animal was raised. By comparing the strontium signatures in the archaeological specimens against a new isoscape — a detailed map of strontium ratios across Mesoamerica — the researchers were able to pinpoint where each animal had spent its early life. The results were unambiguous for the deer remains, which showed strontium ratios consistent with the local highland environment, indicating they were locally hunted wild animals. The dogs, however, were a different matter entirely.
Dogs Imported from Distant Lowland Kingdoms
The isotopic profiles of the dog specimens were inconsistent with a local origin. At Tenam Puente, all four dogs analyzed dated to around A.D. 500–800 and appear to have traveled from distant lowland regions — one likely from the area near the powerful city of Calakmul, close to the Guatemalan border, and three others from the vicinity of Becan, even further to the north. The dogs from Moxviquil showed a similarly diverse range of origins, with strontium signatures pointing to areas as far-flung as the Palenque region and even the area around Mayapan, a great Maya capital. Some of these journeys would have covered 350 to 400 miles.
"Our results contribute further evidence for robust exchange networks in ancient Mesoamerica, including the Maya culture area," said Dr. Paris. Chris Stantis, an assistant professor of anthropology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a co-author on the study, emphasized the broader significance of the finding: "When we think about trade networks, we often think about inanimate commodities. But dogs are different. They're living animals that require feeding, care, and transport." The evidence that people were bringing dogs such long distances points to routes that were not merely active but organized enough to support the movement of life itself.
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A Xoloitzcuintli, the ancient Mexican hairless dog breed that may be linked to the Maya dog trade. (Canarian/CC BY-SA 4.0)
Specialized Diets Reveal Deliberate Care
Beyond their geographic origins, the researchers also analyzed the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the dog remains to reconstruct their diets. The results showed that these imported dogs were fed a diet unusually rich in maize and meat — a nutritional profile that closely mirrors what the humans around them were eating. This pattern is far more consistent with deliberate feeding than with scavenging, suggesting that these animals were intentionally provisioned and well cared for.
"This isn't the first time archaeologists have suggested dog trade in the Maya world," noted Stantis, "but with more refined isotopic methods, our paper was able to make more informed hypotheses about where these dogs may have come from." Earlier research by Ashley Sharpe of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute had identified similar patterns of dog movement between the lowland city of Ceibal and the highland site of Kaminaljuyu during the Preclassic period, suggesting that this practice of long-distance canine exchange had deep roots in Maya culture. The current study extends this picture into the Classic period and over even greater distances.
The Breed Question and Cultural Significance
The precise breed of dog being traded remains an open question. Paris has noted that many of the Chiapas specimens exhibit unusual dental morphology — a characteristic associated with the Xoloitzcuintli, Mexico's ancient hairless dog breed, in which the mutation causing hairlessness also affects tooth development. Maya artwork from the lowlands offers further clues about the cultural status of these animals: multiple painted vases depict small dogs walking beneath the hammocks of rulers being carried in procession, suggesting that certain breeds functioned as elite status symbols or alliance gifts between kingdoms. DNA analysis, which Paris has identified as the next step in the project, may ultimately confirm which breeds were involved and shed further light on the breeding practices behind this trade.
The study adds a vivid new layer to our understanding of Classic Maya civilization as a deeply interconnected world, where exchange networks were sophisticated enough to move not just goods but living animals across vast distances. As Stantis put it, stable isotope analysis can turn a set of bones and teeth into something closer to a biography — revealing the living networks that made the Maya world work. The Corn Dog Was on the Mayan Menu — but these imported actual dogs appear to have been far too valuable to eat.
Top image: Representation of Maya city in Mexico, with Maya dog trader and dogs. Source: AI generated
By Gary Manners
References
Archaeology Magazine. 2026. Study Suggests the Maya Traded Dogs Over Long Distances. Available at: https://archaeology.org/news/2026/02/24/study-suggests-the-maya-traded-dogs-over-long-distances/
Learn, J.R. 2026. What did dogs mean to the ancient Maya? Scientists are unlocking new clues. National Geographic. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/ancient-maya-dogs-culture-trade
Obermiller, T. 2026. From teeth to trade routes: SIU researcher traces ancient dogs' origins to reveal new clues about the Maya world. Southern Illinois University News. Available at: https://news.siu.edu/2026/02/022626-from-teeth-to-trade-routes-siu-researcher-traces-ancient-dogs-origins-to-reveal-new-clues-about-the-maya-world.php
Paris, E.H., Bataille, C.P., Stantis, C., George, M., López Bravo, R., Lalo Jacinto, G. 2026. Distant provenance of archaeological dogs in Chiapas confirms complex trade networks within Mayan societies. Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 187. Elsevier. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440326000129
University of Calgary. 2026. UCalgary archaeologist unearths evidence of dogs being traded within Mayan societies. Available at: https://ucalgary.ca/news/ucalgary-archaeologist-unearths-evidence-dogs-being-traded-within-mayan-societies
