A new genetic study has determined that dogs buried in the Viking Age cemetery of Luistari in Eura, southwestern Finland, were of local origin and not imported from abroad. The findings were published in the June 2025 issue of the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology by Frida Nordfors and colleagues from the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Museum of Natural History.
The study analyzed ancient DNA from the skeletal remains of three dogs found in richly furnished cremation burials dated to the Viking Age, approximately the 10th to 11th century CE. According to the authors, all three dogs belonged to mitochondrial haplogroup A1a1a, which is common in northern Europe.
“The results show no signs of ancestry from other contemporary dog populations such as in the British Isles or the east Baltic region,” the researchers wrote. The absence of these genetic markers suggests that the dogs were not acquired through long-distance trade but were instead bred locally.
The article notes that the burial context of the dogs—placed alongside humans and grave goods—indicates a significant role in the community. However, the study focuses on the genetic origins and does not attempt to interpret the dogs’ social status.
The researchers highlight the importance of the Luistari cemetery as the largest known Viking Age burial site in Finland, comprising over 1,300 graves. Only a small number of these contain dog remains, but those that do have been noted for their elaborate assemblages.
The DNA analysis was conducted using next-generation sequencing techniques, with samples cross-referenced against both modern and ancient canid genomes. The research was published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, a peer-reviewed journal.
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