April 2010 | JCNN | By Cassie Cocks
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Every dog has its day – even if it has to wait 2000 years for it! That’s how long it took to discover the bones of suspected wolfhound Sampson, whose remains were recently uncovered at a dig site in Ban Non Wat, north-east Thailand.
“The first thing we noticed about it was the size. It stood a bit less than a metre,” says Allison Isepy, who found Sampson’s bones together with fellow James Cook University student Belinda Duke. “It’s a very tall dog – probably a wolfhound.”
Isepy says she’s only briefly analysed Sampson’s bones but believes he died of natural causes and estimates his age to be about six. She’ll be returning to Thailand in the June semester break to continue her analysis and conduct a comparative study of other dog bones found on-site.
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Every dog has its day – even if it has to wait 2000 years for it! That’s how long it took to discover the bones of suspected wolfhound Sampson, whose remains were recently uncovered at a dig site in Ban Non Wat, north-east Thailand.
“The first thing we noticed about it was the size. It stood a bit less than a metre,” says Allison Isepy, who found Sampson’s bones together with fellow James Cook University student Belinda Duke. “It’s a very tall dog – probably a wolfhound.”
Isepy says she’s only briefly analysed Sampson’s bones but believes he died of natural causes and estimates his age to be about six. She’ll be returning to Thailand in the June semester break to continue her analysis and conduct a comparative study of other dog bones found on-site.
Each year students from James Cook University travel to Thailand to join the team working on the prehistoric site at Ban Non Wat. “It really is one of the most exciting excavation sites in the world,” Isepy says. “Every 10 centimetres we find something else!”
The Ban Non Wat project attracts archaeologists, geologists, anthropologists and biologists from many countries including Canada, England and the USA. The site contains layers from 4000 years ago and is focused on investigating the dynamic relationship between people and changes in the environment. It’s part of a 15-year series in the region and, for the last three years, has been directed by archaeologist Dr Nigel Chang and anatomy specialist Dr Kate Domett, both from James Cook University.
“This site gives our students a chance to be part of an international project and to gain new experience and skills,” Dr Chang says. “The project is generating a life of its own. It has inspired local universities and provided more opportunities for the community.”
Students visit Ban Non Wat for two or three months each year, so it’s up to local scientists and volunteers to learn the required skills to keep the project going. “The project promotes JCU, archaeology and education, as community learning develops on-site,” Dr Chang says. “And the exciting thing about Sampson is it’s the best-preserved dog burial we’ve found so far.”
The Ban Non Wat project is made possible through funding from the Earthwatch Institute and the many volunteers who take part in the dig.
The Ban Non Wat project attracts archaeologists, geologists, anthropologists and biologists from many countries including Canada, England and the USA. The site contains layers from 4000 years ago and is focused on investigating the dynamic relationship between people and changes in the environment. It’s part of a 15-year series in the region and, for the last three years, has been directed by archaeologist Dr Nigel Chang and anatomy specialist Dr Kate Domett, both from James Cook University.
“This site gives our students a chance to be part of an international project and to gain new experience and skills,” Dr Chang says. “The project is generating a life of its own. It has inspired local universities and provided more opportunities for the community.”
Students visit Ban Non Wat for two or three months each year, so it’s up to local scientists and volunteers to learn the required skills to keep the project going. “The project promotes JCU, archaeology and education, as community learning develops on-site,” Dr Chang says. “And the exciting thing about Sampson is it’s the best-preserved dog burial we’ve found so far.”
The Ban Non Wat project is made possible through funding from the Earthwatch Institute and the many volunteers who take part in the dig.
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More informations :
- Bronze Age Dog Burial at Ban Non Wat | April 19, 2010 | alisonincambodia
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