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Domesticated pigs originated from wild boars around 8,000 years ago.

Farm livestock domestication originated in China, as suggested by the discovery of old pig teeth.

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4 min read
Farming of pigs originated in ancient China, as suggested by the discovery of their teeth.
Farming of pigs originated in ancient China, as suggested by the discovery of their teeth.

Domesticated pigs originated from wild boars around 8,000 years ago.

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Had you ever thought pigs as messy, dirty, lazy creatures? Well, that's a Hogwash, my friend! Pigs, in fact, are smart, social, and have been thriving in human settlements for millennia. Let's dive into how this love story between humans and porkers began!

A recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) offers some tantalizing evidence that pigs were first domesticated about 8,000 years ago from wild boars in South China. This domestication process, according to the experts, is mainly associated with the Neolithic period when our ancestors started transitioning from roaming the wild for food to staying put and farming.

Archaeologists and anthropologists suspect present-day China as the likely cradle of pig domestication. This shift occurred during the Neolithic period, roughly 10,000 years ago, when humans began farming instead of foraging for food.

Wild boars, much like their domesticated descendants, are large and aggressive mammals with powerful jaws suited for ripping and tearing through tough undergrowth. They are native to Asia, North Africa, Europe, but can also be found in parts of North and South America, as well as Oceania.

While wild boars are known for their aggression, anthropologist Jiajing Wang, co-author of the study, points out that some boars are friendlier and less fearful of humans, which could lead to them living near human settlements and availing themselves of easy access to food. Over time, these wild boars evolved smaller bodies and smaller brains, making them more manageable for humans.

When studying the domestication of pigs and other animals, anthropologists usually examine bone sizes and shapes to track morphological changes over time. However, according to Wang, this method can be flawed, as the reduction in body size occurred later in the domestication process. "What probably came first were behavioral changes such as becoming less aggressive and more tolerant towards humans," said Wang.

In this study, the team tried a different method to study the animals' dietary habits using microfossil analysis on teeth and documented what they had been eating throughout their lives. They examined 32 pig specimens from the two oldest known human settlements dating back 8,000 years—Jingtoushan and Kuahuqiao in the Lower Yangtze River region of South China. The findings showed the presence of 240 starch granules within the teeth and the evidence of cooked foods like yams and rice, in addition to unidentified tubers, acorns, and wild grasses.

The analysis also revealed the presence of human parasite whipworm eggs in the dental calculus of 16 pig teeth. Whipworm eggs can mature in human digestive systems, but also raises questions about how early human waste was disposed of in these settlements. Could this be a sign of health challenges faced by our ancestors?

The team also conducted a statistical analysis of dental structures of the pig specimens from Kuahuqiao and Jingtoushan. Some of the teeth resembled those seen in modern domestic populations in China.

"Wild boars were likely attracted to human settlements as people began settling down and started farming," said Wang. This phenomenon, called a commensal pathway, occurs when animals are drawn to human settlements, instead of humans actively trying to recruit them. The study also indicates that early interactions involved domestic pigs under human management, representing a prey pathway in the domestication process in addition to a commensal one.

This new study adds fascinating insights into the origins of pig domestication in South China and the possible spread of diseases between humans and pigs. It's important to remember that our relation with pigs has been complex and continues to impact our lifestyle, culture, and diets to this day.

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  1. Pigs, initially perceived as messy and lazy, are actually intelligent and social creatures that have coexisted with humans for thousands of years.
  2. Archaeologists and anthropologists suspect South China as the cradle of pig domestication, a process that began during the Neolithic period around 10,000 years ago.
  3. Wild boars, ancestors of domesticated pigs, are large and aggressive mammals with powerful jaws, native to Asia, North Africa, Europe, and other parts of the world.
  4. Anthropologist Jiajing Wang suggests that some wild boars were friendlier and less fearful of humans, which led to them living near human settlements and evolving to be more manageable.
  5. Over time, wild boars evolved smaller bodies and brains due to behavioral changes such as becoming less aggressive and more tolerant towards humans.
  6. Anthropologists usually examine bone sizes and shapes to track morphological changes over time, but some methods can be flawed.
  7. This new study used microfossil analysis on teeth to document the dietary habits of pigs, revealing cooked foods like yams and rice in early human settlements.
  8. The study also found evidence of human parasite whipworm eggs in pig teeth, raising questions about early human waste disposal in these settlements and potential health challenges faced by our ancestors.
  9. Statistical analysis of dental structures of pig specimens from two old settlements showed resemblance to modern domestic populations in China.
  10. The study suggests that early interactions between humans and pigs involved both commensal and prey pathways in the domestication process.
  11. Understanding the origins of pig domestication can help us better comprehend the complex relationship between humans and animals, and their impact on our lifestyle, culture, and diets.
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  14. In health and wellness, challenges faced by our ancestors, such as chronic diseases like chronic kidney disease, COPD, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease, can be studied to provide insight into current medical conditions and treatments.
  15. Obesity is a major health concern related to lifestyle, and effective weight management strategies are crucial in combating diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
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