Americas

A new study has revealed that the ancient Maya were trading live dogs over hundreds of miles, with isotopic analysis of animal bones from highland Chiapas sites showing that most of the dogs found there originated in distant lowland Maya kingdoms. The research, led by Dr. Elizabeth Paris of the University of Calgary, adds a remarkable living dimension to what was already known about Mesoamerican exchange networks, and raises intriguing questions about the role these animals played in Classic Maya society. Tracing Origins Through Isotope Analysis The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, focused on animal remains recovered from two Maya archaeological sites in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico: Moxviquil and Tenam Puente. Moxviquil was a hilltop town