The dog on Gotland. From Stone Age to Iron Age.

This essay has analyzed and compared measurements of at least 41 dogs from seven different locations on Gotland ranging periods from Stone Age to Iron Age. This essay’s focus was on studying what kind of different types of dogs there are in the different time periods on Gotland, but also what their usage may have been. Type is not to be confused with breed as it is a modern concept and would give a faulty image, type indicate usage such as primed for i.e. hunting. The thesis also explores if the result differs from the mainland or preference of dogs compared to the island. Earlier studies have stated that during the Stone- and Bronze Age there are spitz type dogs, which usually varies between 30-60 cm. While during the Iron age more variety of different type of dogs were found such a greyhound type. Even larger dogs appear in the material with a height of 60-70 cm. The Gotlandic dogs that were examined came from the locations Simunde, Lilla Vikers, Stora Källstäde, Hemmor, Gullrum, Ire, Vallhagar and Broa in Halla. Their sizes differed between 25-73 cm in height. The types of dogs that have been read out in the material are spitz, terrier, molosser types. The spitz and the terrier types indicate a usage as a farm dog raging to hunting, herding, guarding and as a companion. The molosser type and the other long-legged dogs in Broa in Halla show more specified hunting, high status and even hunting with horse. Nothing shows a different preference of type or size between the mainland and Gotland with the exception that the Gotlandic Stone age dogs were a little on the larger side than normal. The dogs were important in Gotland society and lived a good life with man as well as having the same diet which was proven by carbon-13 value analyzes from Ajvide. The dogs showed very few injuries and those that did showed instead that they had been taken care of in form of food and shelter so that those injuries fully have healed properly. Which shows that man has taken care of the dogs and wanted them well in health, that the dog is indeed important to humans and is our best friend