Chiribaya Dog facts for kids

The Chiribaya Dog was an old type of dog from Peru. It is now extinct, meaning it doesn't exist anymore. These dogs lived with the ancient Chiribaya culture in the southwest of Peru. They were known for helping to herd llamas. The Chiribaya people thought these dogs were very important. They even treated them specially after they died. Scientists have found dog remains that are about 1,000 years old.

People sometimes call this dog the "Peruvian Shepherd Dog." However, the ancient Peruvians did not have sheep. The real name of this dog is not known. Sometimes, the name "Peruvian dog" is used. But this name can also mean a different, hairless dog breed from Peru.

Dog Mummies

Scientists found the remains of Chiribaya dogs buried in cemeteries. These dog mummies were found next to 42 human mummies. The Chiribaya culture lived on the southern coast of Peru, near Ilo District. It seems they buried their dogs with great care. This suggests the dogs were seen as loyal friends and helpers.

The discovery was made by Sonia Guillén, an anthropologist. She studies ancient mummies from old cultures in Peru. The mummies found are from about 900 to 1350 CE.

Near the port of Ilo, there is a place called Mallqui Center. "Mallqui" means 'mummy' in the Quechua language. This center studies the Chiribaya culture. The land where the Chiribaya lived is very dry. It also has a lot of natural chemicals called nitrates. These conditions helped keep the bodies of people and dogs very well preserved.

Sonia Guillén believes that how a person was buried shows their place in society. For these dogs, their tombs suggest they were treated well, both alive and after death. This was because they had a useful life helping the Chiribaya people.

In 2006, a journalist named Martha Meier Miró Quesada made a documentary. It was called El Perro Pastor Chiribaya, which means 'The Chiribaya Shepherd Dog'. This film showed the findings and Sonia Guillén's research.

Dog Features

Experts like Ermanno Maniero and Viviana Fernández studied the dog mummies. They found that these dogs had short legs. They were also longer than they were tall. Their fur came in many colors, from yellow to red. Some had dark spots on their backs or heads.

The dogs had ears that flopped down. Their feet were like a hare's feet. This special foot shape helped them move easily on sand or soft ground. This was likely very helpful in the Chiribaya environment.

The BBC also reported on the dogs' features. They said the Chiribaya dog was small. It had a long nose and beige, long fur. It looked a bit like a small Golden Retriever.

Helping with Llamas

The Chiribaya people lived near the coast. They got food from fishing and the sea. But they also did a lot of agriculture, which included raising animals. They raised many llamas. We know this from their textiles and rock carvings, called petroglyphs. These show how important llamas were to them.

This also shows why the "shepherd" or herding dog was so important. A scientist named Jane Wheeler studied llama and alpaca remains in the Ilo area. She found that the Chiribaya raised a special type of llama. These llamas had very long, fine hair. However, the Spanish explorers did not use these llamas for their wool. Instead, they used them as pack animals, which led to their disappearance.

Sonia Guillén explained that because the Chiribaya had so many llamas, they needed herding dogs. These dogs became important co-workers with the people. Their hard work meant they were honored even after they died.

Dog Family Tree

When the Chiribaya dog mummies were found, scientists wondered if their descendants still lived today. Some dogs living near Ilo port, Tambo Valley, and Mollendo looked similar to the mummies. For example, a watchdog named "Abdul" at the Mallqui Center looked like a Chiribaya dog. He had yellow fur, floppy ears, and a short nose. These features matched the mummies.

Martha Meier pointed out that local dogs called chusco also looked like the Chiribaya dogs. She thought it was possible that these dogs had spread across Peru over many years. She said, "What we want to do now is bring back the pure breed of this dog." She planned to collect DNA from dogs in the Ilo area. This DNA would be compared with the mummies' DNA. Then, they could start a process to select and breed dogs to bring back the old traits. She knew this would take many years, but she felt it was worth it.

DNA Evidence

Scientists studied the mitochondrial DNA of the Chiribaya dogs. They found three types of genetic patterns, called haplotypes. Two of these patterns had never been seen before.

In 2018, another study looked at the full cell nucleus DNA of ancient dogs. This research suggested that dogs came to North America from Siberia. This happened about 4,500 years after humans arrived. These dogs then lived alone for about 9,000 years. After Europeans came, these unique dogs disappeared. They were replaced by dogs from Europe and Asia. The ancient dogs had a special genetic signature that is now gone.

See also

In Spanish: Pastor Chiribaya para niños