Current improvements in archaeological approaches have unveiled that many bone discoveries, once thought to be evidence of early chickens, actually belong to wild birds.Now, in a new publication, an international group of archaeologists, historians, and biomolecular scientists provide the earliest clear proof for the raising of chickens for egg production, and argue that the loss of seasonal egg laying was the main motorist for the dispersal of domestic chickens across Eurasia and northeast Africa.Discovery and AnalysisUsing eggshell pieces gathered from 12 archaeological websites covering approximately 1500 years, the researchers show that chickens were extensively raised in Central Asia from roughly 400 BCE to 1000 CE and were likely dispersed along the ancient Silk Road.” This research study showcases the potential of ZooMS to shed light on human-animal interactions in the past,” states Dr. Carli Peters, scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and very first author of the brand-new paper.Findings and ImplicationsThe recognition of these shell pieces as chickens, and their abundance throughout the sediment layers at each website, led the researchers to an important conclusion: the birds must have been laying more regularly than their wild forefather, the red jungle fowl, which nests when per year and usually lays six eggs per clutch. In Central Asia, evidence suggests that the ability to lay a multitude of eggs is what made the chicken the chicken we understand today– an international species of enormous financial importance.
Recent developments in archaeological methods have unveiled that various bone discoveries, as soon as thought to be evidence of early chickens, in fact belong to wild birds.Now, in a new publication, an international group of archaeologists, historians, and biomolecular scientists provide the earliest clear evidence for the raising of chickens for egg production, and argue that the loss of seasonal egg laying was the primary chauffeur for the dispersal of domestic chickens throughout Eurasia and northeast Africa.Discovery and AnalysisUsing eggshell pieces gathered from 12 historical sites spanning roughly 1500 years, the researchers reveal that chickens were widely raised in Central Asia from approximately 400 BCE to 1000 CE and were likely dispersed along the ancient Silk Road.” This research study showcases the capacity of ZooMS to shed light on human-animal interactions in the past,” states Dr. Carli Peters, scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and first author of the brand-new paper.Findings and ImplicationsThe identification of these shell fragments as chickens, and their abundance throughout the sediment layers at each site, led the scientists to an essential conclusion: the birds should have been laying more regularly than their wild ancestor, the red jungle fowl, which nests once per year and usually lays 6 eggs per clutch. In Central Asia, proof suggests that the capability to lay a wide variety of eggs is what made the chicken the chicken we understand today– a global species of massive economic value.
