China has been recognized as one of the primary locations for the domestication of Wild boar (SUSSCROFA). However, tracing back to the initial stages has proven to be complex. In a recent study, archaeologists examined pig dental calculus (mineralized deposits) from two early Neolithic sites in the lower Jotz River area of southern China: Jintushan (8,300–7,800 years ago) and Kuafukiao (8,200–7,000 years ago). Their findings indicate that pigs consumed food and waste associated with humans, including cooked starchy plants and Human whipworm (Trichuris trichiura). Eggs likely originated from food preparation and feces contaminated materials.
The domestication of certain animals, including pigs, is often linked to the Neolithic Age, when humans started moving from foraging to agricultural practices around 10,000 years ago.
Wild boars are substantial, aggressive creatures that generally live independently, foraging for food in the forest floor.
They possess larger heads, mouths, and teeth compared to domestic pigs.
“Most wild boars exhibit natural aggression, though some can be quite friendly and unafraid of humans,” stated Dr. Ziajin Wang from Dartmouth University.
“Proximity to humans provided them with easier access to food, reducing the need for a robust physique.”
“Over time, their bodies and brains shrunk by about one-third.”
To investigate the domestication of pigs and other animals, archaeologists frequently analyze skeletal structures and track morphological changes over time.
“This method can present challenges since decreases in body size typically occur later in the domestication timeline,” Dr. Wang noted.
“Behavioral changes likely preceded physical alterations, making animals more docile than aggressive.”
Thus, for this study, Dr. Wang and his team applied alternative methodologies, documenting the diet of pigs throughout their lifespan via molars from 32 pig specimens.
Through microfossil analysis of pig teeth, they examined dental calculus from the two earliest human-occupied sites in Jintushan and Kuafukiao, dating back at least 8,000 years.
The researchers identified 240 starch granules, revealing that pigs consumed pre-cooked foods (such as rice and mountain moss) alongside unidentified tubers, acorns, and wild grasses.
“These plants were present during that era and were found in human habitats,” Dr. Wang explained.
Previous studies identified rice in both locations, especially in Kuahuqiao, which benefited from intensive rice farming due to its access to freshwater compared to coastal areas.
Additional research indicated starch residues in crushed stones and ceramics from Kuahuqiao.
“Since pigs cannot cook their own food, it is likely that they were fed or scavenged human leftovers,” asserted Dr. Wang.
Parasite eggs from humans, specifically whipworms (which mature within the human digestive system), were also detected in pig dental calculus.
These tan, soccer-shaped eggs were found in 16 pig tooth specimens.
The pigs must have consumed human feces or contaminated food and water from such waste.
“Pigs have a well-known penchant for consuming human waste, further indicating that these pigs likely cohabitated with humans,” Dr. Wang remarked.
Statistical analysis of the dental structures of Kuafukiao and Jintan pig specimens revealed that their teeth are smaller and comparable to those of modern domestic groups in China.
“As humans began to settle and cultivate their own food, wild boars would have been drawn to these settlements,” Dr. Wang stated.
“These communities generated substantial waste, attracting scavengers in search of food.
This dynamic in animal domestication is termed a symbiotic pathway, where animals are drawn to human environments without the need for direct human action in adopting them.
Data also suggests that early interactions may include domesticated pigs under some level of human control, indicating a trajectory of prey pathways in the domestication process.
“Our study indicates that certain wild boars began their journey toward domestication by foraging human waste,” Dr. Wang concluded.
“This research also underscores the potential connection between pig domestication and the transmission of parasitic diseases in early settled communities.”
The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Jiajing Wang et al. 2025. Early evidence of pig domestication in the lower Yangtze region of southern China (8,000 cal. bp). PNAS 122 (24): E2507123122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2507123122
Source: www.sci.news
