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The zooarchaeology of pig domestication in China is a challenging task due to its wild boar ancestors being widespread throughout Eurasia. However using geometric morphometric approaches on molar tooth (M2), shape and size variations, from modern and Neolithic suids, using Yangshao pigs as a surrogate for the Neolithic domestic form, we have addres...
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Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia ∼8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. These pig...
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... Previous zooarchaeological investigations of the Early Holocene faunal assemblages from northern China mainly focused on the identification of the earliest domesticated pigs (Cucchi et al. 2011;Luo and Zhang 2008) and much less on the study of wild resources, e.g., birds, fish. However, faunal remains from various sites, suggested that avifauna resources, such as pheasants, have been important in northern China since the Late Paleolithic and several sites show that pheasants form a substantial part of the human diet (Barton et al. 2020;Liang et al. 2020;Tang et al. 2017;Zhang et al. 2022). ...
During the Early Holocene, northern China witnessed revolutionary changes, such as the emergence of sedentary lifestyles, the domestication of animals and plants, the spread of pottery making, and a radical restructuring of social relationships. During this period, the avifauna became an increasingly significant component of the diversified small game resources. This paper presents the results of a study of remains of pheasants, assigned to Phasianinae, recovered at the Xiaogao site in Shandong Province, northern China. The data show that the occupants of Xiaogao seasonally hunted predominantly male pheasants and systematically butchered them. They became familiar with the ecology and ethology of pheasants, and they were able to consciously and purposefully intensify the utilization of pheasants to a maximum foraging efficiency. Animal exploitation behaviors are manifestations and results of niche-construction efforts by human societies. This emphasizes humans’ capacity to actively exploit wild animal and plant resources and modify the environment and ecosystem to produce stable and sustainable subsistence economies.
... Hunting and gathering were practiced in northern China during the Palaeolithic era, and wild animals as well as edible plants were the main food resources (Chen and Yu, 2017;Liu et al., 2018;Wang et al., 2019a,b). Around the early Holocene, the cultivation of crops together with animal domestication occurred in some of the archaeological sites in northern China, for example, Cishan and Jiahu, with foxtail and broomcorn millet and pork being key dietary components (Crawford, 2009;Lu et al., 2009;Cucchi et al., 2011;Price and Hongo, 2020). Despite the appearance of crop cultivation and animal husbandry hunting and gathering remained the main subsistence strategy during the early Holocene (Zhao, 2014). ...
Abstract: In the past, humans have adapted their strategies of wood collection to shifts in the surrounding environment. Shifts in wood procurement strategies have been assumed to have been heavily influenced by changes in biomes due to shifts in climate. In these models, wood found on archaeological sites is interpreted as being representative of the surrounding environment. Around the world there is an increasing recognition that human preferences and management strategies impacted forest composition and species harvesting. We evaluated charcoal data gathered from 92 archaeological sites in northern China, with chronologies spanning the period from 6500 BP to 2000 BP. By combining the results of the analysis with published paleoenvironment records and archaeological evidence, we aimed to determine when and how there was an anthropogenic impact on wood procurement strategies. Our results indicated that a distinct spatiotemporal pattern of wood utilisation existed in northern China during the period 6500–2000 BP that could not be fully explained by changes in climate. Spatially, anthropogenically-collected woody assemblages showed remarkable differences in northern China. Northern China’s climate gradually became colder and drier during the mid to late Holocene, especially during the period 4000–2000 BP. This appears to have led to a decreased use of Quercus L. in the Loess Plateau and the Guanzhong Basin. However, in the Central Plains and Shandong Peninsula, Quercus L. usage continued and increased in the late Holocene. During the same period, a striking shift in wood procurement occurred in the western part of China. In the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, wood procurement shifted from predominantly coniferous to broadleaved trees, and forest succession caused by anthropogenic collection played the significant role. Paleoclimatic information in Hexi Corridor suggests that some arbour trees in archaeological sites were not locally available, suggesting that human preference for certain wood types led them to engage in long distance transport. This finding indicates that starting after 4000 BP, climatically driven shifts in biomes were no longer a primarily influencing variable in human procurement of trees in north-western and eastern China. Key regional differences in strategy emerged. In Eastern China, wood species which humans preferred were still harvested even when climatic change reduced their availability. In North-western China, however, changes in biomes following 4000 BP meant that people needed to change the species on which they had previously relied and began to engage in long distance transport of wood.
... 11 The pig (Sus scrofa) is an important agricultural animal that was domesticated approximately 9,000 years ago in Anatolia and the Mekong Valley. 12,13 Through long-term natural and artificial selection, successful commercial pig breeds such as the Large White, Landrace, and Duroc pigs have been developed to exhibit high growth rates, high lean meat ratios, and high feed efficiency. However, these breeds often exhibit reduced intramuscular fat content. ...
Transposable elements (TEs) mobility is capable of generating a large number of structural variants (SVs), which can have considerable potential as molecular markers for genetic analysis and molecular breeding in livestock. Our results showed that the pig genome contains mainly TE-SVs generated by short interspersed nuclear elements (51,873/76.49%), followed by long interspersed nuclear elements (11,131/16.41%), and more than 84% of the common TE-SVs (Minor allele frequency, MAF > 0.10) were validated to be polymorphic. Subsequently, we utilized the identified TE-SVs to gain insights into the population structure, resulting in clear differentiation among the three pig groups and facilitating the identification of relationships within Chinese local pig breeds. In addition, we investigated the frequencies of TEs in the gene coding regions of different pig groups and annotated the respective TE types, related genes, and functional pathways. Through genome-wide comparisons of Large White pigs and Chinese local pigs utilizing the Beijing Black pigs, we identified TE-mediated SVs associated with quantitative trait loci and observed that they were mainly involved in carcass traits and meat quality traits. Lastly, we present the first documented evidence of TE transduction in the pig genome.
... How pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) were domesticated and the process of their domestication are key topics in zooarchaeology (Hongo and Meadow 1998;Redding and Rosenberg 1998;Ervynck et al. 2001;Yuan and Flad 2002;Larson et al. 2005;Albarella et al. 2006;Zeder 2011Zeder , 2012Cucchi et al. 2011;Liu 2014;Dong and Yuan 2020;Price and Hongo 2020). Both zooarchaeological and ancient DNA research shows pigs were independently domesticated in multiple regions (Larson et al. 2005(Larson et al. , 2010Albarella et al. 2006;Zhang et al. 2022). ...
... The earliest putative evidence of pig domestication in Central China 1 dating to at least 6600 cal. BC was found at Jiahu, Henan Province, which is attributed to the Peiligang culture period (early Neolithic, 7000-5000 BC) (Luo and Zhang 2008;Cucchi et al. 2011;Luo et al. 2015). Although the status and the extent of domestication for Jiahu pigs are still under discussion (Price and Hongo 2020; Hongo et al. 2021), partly because opinions on the appropriate criteria for the definition and identification of domestication from animal bones differ between scholars Vigne 2011;Zeder 2012;Price and Hongo 2020), the zooarchaeological research of Jiahu nevertheless sheds light on our primary understanding of the relationships between humans and animals and human subsistence. ...
This case study of the early Neolithic Guanjia site (6100–5500 BC) combines zooarchaeological, paleobotanical, and isotope research to investigate how humans raised pigs and incorporated them in their overall subsistence system. Although the teeth (M2) of Sus scrofa from Guanjia were all larger than domesticated pigs dating to the middle Neolithic (Yangshao period, 5000–3000 BC) and early Bronze Age (2000–1000 BC), which would suggest that Guanjia pigs were not domesticated pigs morphologically if body size is a key criterion to identify domesticated animals, we still argue that there was human management of pigs via feeding and culling strategies. We base our argument on the following observations: (1) Sus scrofa accounts for 34.2% (n = 41) of NISP and 22.2% (n = 4) of MNI; (2) most individuals were younger than two years at time of death (mandible n = 5, epiphyseal fusion n = 14) and most are female; (3) distorted alignment of teeth, a deformation related to early domestication, was found on one left mandible; (4) compared to pure C3 diets seen in deer (δ¹³C = − 21.0 ± 0.7‰, n = 3), the majority of Sus scrofa consumed some C4 plants (δ¹³C = − 17.4 ± 0.8‰, n = 6), probably from C4 wild grass or cultivated millets; (5) Panicoideae starch grain, broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) phytoliths were found at Guanjia, further supporting our argument that Sus scrofa accessed C4 millets and human environments. This study also reveals that animals in the early stages of domestication and domestic plants only accounted for a small proportion of human subsistence; thus, people still relied heavily on hunting and gathering at Guanjia.
... 11 The pig (Sus scrofa) is an important agricultural animal that was domesticated approximately 9,000 years ago in Anatolia and the Mekong Valley. 12,13 Through long-term natural and artificial selection, successful commercial pig breeds such as the Large White, Landrace, and Duroc pigs have been developed to exhibit high growth rates, high lean meat ratios, and high feed efficiency. However, these breeds often exhibit reduced intramuscular fat content. ...
... The initial domestication of wild boars (Sus scrofa, hereafter used to refer both wild and domesticated forms unless otherwise specified) occurred ca. 10,000-11,000 years ago (Giuffra et al. 2000;Cucchi et al. 2011;Bosse et al. 2014). Domesticated pigs have since served as a major food source for many human societies (Groenen et al. 2012). ...
... Pig populations were domesticated separately at least twice. Independent domestication in Anatolia and in the Mekong Valley led to two genetically and phenotypically distinct populations of domestic pigs in Europe/the Near East and in East Asia, respectively (Giuffra et al. 2000;Cucchi et al. 2011;Bosse et al. 2014). Until recently many authors assumed that the domestication of pigs involved a limited number of discrete domestication events, each involving a small number of founders and reproductive isolation from wild populations, i.e., genetic bottlenecks associated with domestication. ...
Suids, both domesticated and wild, are found on all continents except for Antarctica and provide valuable food resources for humans in addition to serving as important models for biomedical research. Continuing advances in genome sequencing have allowed researchers to compare the genomes from diverse populations of suids helping to clarify their evolution and dispersal. Further analysis of these samples may provide clues to improve disease resistance/resilience and productivity in domestic suids as well as better ways of classifying and conserving genetic diversity within wild and captive suids. Collecting samples from diverse populations of suids is resource intensive and may negatively impact endangered populations. Here we catalog extensive tissue and DNA samples from suids in collections in both Europe and North America. We include samples that have previously been used for whole genome sequencing, targeted DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). This work provides an important centralized resource for researchers who wish to access published databases.
... Using certain skull and skeleton elements (selected according to the frequency and conservation of the remains in our own archaeological samples), we based our research on the combination of two complementary approaches: osteometry (study of linear measurements) and GM (study of shape using a landmark configuration). We studied the shape of the sheep bones using the GM method in order to have a more complete description of the sheep and the variability of the groups (Cucchi et al., 2011;Duval et al., 2015;Hanot et al., 2017;Pares-Casanova, 2014;Zelditch et al., 2012). ...
Although as a species sheep are commonly found in archaeological deposits and occupy a major position in the history of animal husbandry, it remains difficult to discriminate the sexual type (male, female or castrate) of individuals from observation of the remains. However, understanding sheep husbandry through sex ratio analysis, contributes to a better understanding of the history of animal husbandry. Current criteria for determining are limited to visual characters on coxal and skull. This study explores the variability of sheep skeletons according to their sex to submit hypotheses for methods capable of individual sexing. Using 58 complete skeletons and 428 isolated Soay sheep bones from the collection of the Natural History Museum (UK), we initially tested the sexual distinction using the so-called classical methods: the estimates of shoulder heights and the slenderness index. We then evaluated the influence of sex on the shape and size of selected bones with geometric morphometric, using a protocol that we had previously developed and validated. Finally, we classified these data using the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) method, quantifying the reliability of sex attribution. We were able to test its application on an archaeological sample, after selecting bones with the best rate of sexual assignment. Our results demonstrate the difficulty of using traditional methods to sex sheep whilst proposing solutions for sex assignment (88% reliable) using geometric morphometric and KNN. In addition, we were able to highlight the influence of sex according to bone type, though this is strongly qualified by various criteria (such as the age of castration). By characterising and quantifying the sex ratio within archaeological assemblages, we may better understand herd management, procurement strategies and feeding habits, and therefore improve our global knowledge of animal husbandry history.
... The question of hybridization is important, but methodological limitations of the current classic morphometric approach prevent further investigation as it forbids the distinction between vicuña and alpaca for small camelids or between guanaco or llama for large camelids (LE NEÜN et al., 2023). Geometric morphometric methods have shown the possibility of quantifying the processes of intraspecific morphological changes linked to human selection pressures for wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Europe (CUCCHI et al., 2011(CUCCHI et al., , 2016(CUCCHI et al., , 2017EVIN et al., 2015) and more recently to changes linked to anthropogenic modifications of the behavior of the animal (HARBERS et al., 2020a(HARBERS et al., , 2020bNEAUX et al., 2021aNEAUX et al., , 2021b. Although informative, the use of criteria such as size is insufficient to illustrate its domestication process. ...
To get insights into the elusive process of the domestication of South American Camelids (SAC), we focused on the Central Andean zone and the long sequence from Telarmachay (Puna of Junín, Peru), for which an early process of domestication, dating 5500-5000 BP, has been proposed. We explored the camelid diversity of Telarmachay with a morphometric approach using modern guanaco and vicuña first phalanges. Our results support the previous identification of both wild camelids and indicated hunting practices. They also suggest earlier camelid anthropic control based on the occurrence of intermediate sized specimens. However, Telarmachay camelids require further investigated using a more powerful approach to access reliable proxies of changes in locomotor behaviors.
... Bosse, 2018;Huang & Mackay, 2016;Cucchi et al., 2011) явище гібридної сили у свиней, є прогнозованим наслідком неадитивних ефектів загального геному на рівні популяції впродовж часу її еволюції. Молекулярно-генетичні механізми гетерозису важко визначити так як він є стрибкоподібною властивістю популяції. ...
В статті вивчались продуктивні якості свиноматок основних материнських порід великої білої та ландрас ірландського походження за чистопородного варіанту їх розведення та прямого і зворотного схрещування. Встановлено, що загальна кількість поросят в гнізді при народженні та багатоплідність свиноматок більше залежала від методів розведення, тоді як великоплідність від породи матері. Різниця між свиноматками великої білої та ландрас порід за чистопородного розведення склала за багатопдідністтю 0,64% при чистопородному розведенні та 0,66% – при схрещуванні. Тоді як різниця між чистопородним варіантом розведення і схрещування тварин цих порід сягнула 2,6%. Водночас маса гнізда поросят при народженні залежала, як від породи матері, так і від методу розведення. Міжпородна різниця за рівнем прояву цієї ознаки склала 1,4–3,7% за чистопородного розведення та схрещування відповідно. Різниця за величиною цієї ознаки між чистопородним варіантом розведення і схрещуванням склала 6,7–9,2%. Доведено, що збереженість поросят до відлучення більше залежала від породи свиноматок, тоді як їх кількість в гнізді на момент відлучення, індивідуальна маса та маса гнізда в цей період більше залежали від методу розведення. Так, переваги свиноматок породи ландрас над аналогами великої білої за збереженістю склали 0,5–1,2%, водночас за різних варіантів розведення цих порід різниця була 0,1–0,5%. Різниця за кількістю поросят при відлучені становила між тваринами з різними методами розведення 2,4–3,2%, а між свиноматками вихідних порід за обох варіантів розведення склала лише 0,1–0,8%. Відмінність за індивідуальною живою масою поросят на час відлучення становила 4,2–5,8% за різних методів розведення тварин вихідних порід, тоді як міжпородна різниця склала 1,4–2,9% за чистопородного розведення та схрещування відповідно. Водночас за масою гнізда поросят при відлученні міжпородна різниця становила 1,4% за чистопородного розведення та 3,7% – за їх схрещування, а розбіжність між чистопородним варіантом розведення та схрещуванням тварин цих порід склала 6,7–9,2%. Визначено, що на ріст поросят в підсисний період більше вплину мав метод розведення ніж породна належність маток. Середньодобові прирости поросят залежали на 1,8–2,5% від породи свиноматки і на 6,8–7,7% від методу розведення, що спричинило різницю в абсолютних приростах між двома породами за чистопородного розведення 2,5% та за схрещування 0,8%. Водночас відмінність за цим показником між чистопородним варіантом розведення і схрещуванням для обох порід склала 6,8–5,0%. І як результат міжпородна різниця в середній масі одного поросяти при відлучені за чистопородного розведення склала 2,9%, а при схрещуванні – 1,4%. Одночасно відмінність за цією ознакою між чистопородним варіантом розведення і схрещуванням для великої білої породи склала 5,8%, а для породи ландрас 4,2%. Встановлено, що репродуктивні якості свиноматок більш суттєво залежали від методу розведення ніж від породи свиноматки. Так різниця між свиноматками основних материнських порід за величиною комплексних індексів за чистопородного розведення склала 0,1–0,4%, а при їх схрещуванні лише 0,1%. Водночас різниця за комплексними індексами, які розраховані за чистопородного розведення та схрещування відповідних порід склала 3,5–4,1% у великої білої породи і 3,4–4,0% у породи ландрас.
... Jiahu je také dosud nejstarším neolitickým sídlištěm, kde byla prokázána domestikace prasat na základě analýzy rozměrů stoliček zhruba po roce 6600 BC cal. (Cucchi et al. 2011). Domestikační status tura domácího je sporný. ...
Book in the Czech language, English summary. Full-text PDF. The text of the book is split into four sections. The first section, The Prologue, is devoted to the history of research into the beginnings of agriculture. We consider it very important as without a detailed depiction of the development of concepts and historical research results it is not easy to understand the contemporary views of this issue. Much of the study deals with environmental archaeology as this science has been at the forefront of research into the beginnings of agriculture, but we also mention the development of paleoecology and agronomic sciences. The second section, with the name The Frames, describes in detail the basic palaeoecological factors (climate and vegetation paleoecology) and social conditions under which humans of the end of the Pleistocene entered the scenery of the agricultural beginnings. We also pay our attention to anthropological research of “relict“ hunting and gathering groups as these archaic communities provide model testimony of possible paleoeconomic practices that may be cautiously used as a reconstructive tool for the situation in prehistory. In the thematically regional core of our study (the third section), called The Centers, we depict events and processes in important parts of the world with the exception of the Americas. For the area of the Near East and China and to a certain extent also Africa and Europe, we used a uniform scheme of interpretation which includes the development of the local climate and vegetation, followed by the description of local communities. The final section of the book summarizes the results.
