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An artistic reconstruction of Pınarbaşı, Turkey, about 15,800 years ago, based on evidence from archaeological excavations by the University of Liverpool. Photograph: Kathryn Killackey

University of Oxford researchers have contributed to a new study which has uncovered the earliest genetic evidence for the existence of dogs. Using ancient DNA analysis, researchers identified dogs at archaeological sites dating to the Late Upper Palaeolithic, approximately 16,000-14,000 years ago - far earlier than the previous genetic record for dogs of around 10,900 years ago. The results have been published today in Nature.

Read the press release on the main University website here. 

In the press:

• BBC News: Dogs became man's best friend far earlier than thought, scientists find  
• The Guardian: Bond between dogs and humans dates back more than 15,000 years, study finds 
• New York Times: Humans Had Dogs Before They Had Farming, Ancient DNA Confirms