Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia
The Spanish Merino is the most significant sheep breed globally due to its economic and cultural importance in human history. It has also had a substantial influence on the development of other Merino and Merino-derived breeds. Historical sources indicate that crossbreeding to produce finer, higher-...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Gabriel Anaya Juan Manuel Garrido José Antonio Riquelme Rafael Mª. Martínez Alberto Membrillo José Antonio Caro Ana Pajuelo Adrián Ruiz José C. Martín de la Cruz Antonio Molina |
| author_facet | Gabriel Anaya Juan Manuel Garrido José Antonio Riquelme Rafael Mª. Martínez Alberto Membrillo José Antonio Caro Ana Pajuelo Adrián Ruiz José C. Martín de la Cruz Antonio Molina |
| author_sort | Gabriel Anaya |
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| description | The Spanish Merino is the most significant sheep breed globally due to its economic and cultural importance in human history. It has also had a substantial influence on the development of other Merino and Merino-derived breeds. Historical sources indicate that crossbreeding to produce finer, higher-quality wool was already taking place in the south of the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman era. This evidence suggests that individuals with a racial pattern very similar to that of the modern Merino may have already existed on the peninsula. The presence of the skeletal remains of these animals at various human settlements dated to the late fourth and third millennia BC could provide insights into the genomics of these ancestral sheep. This study analyses ancient DNA extracted from nine skeletal remains from three archaeological sites in Southern Iberia, dated to the third millennium BC. The samples were sequenced and aligned with the ovine genome. The genetic distances observed among the samples indicate a closer relationship between several animals from the Marinaleda (Seville) and Grañena Baja (Jaén) sites. The study of the slaughter/death age profiles identified at La Minilla (La Rambla, Córdoba) suggests an approach centred on meat exploitation, while the data from Marinaleda (Seville) and Grañena Baja (Jaén) indicate the potential exploitation of secondary resources. A review of the composition of these small ruminant herds could provide insights into the type of secondary resource exploitation that may have been prioritised. Our aim is to investigate the presence of distinct production systems, differentiating between those aimed primarily at meat use and those focused on secondary products. This is the first approach to exploring the genetic evidence for sheep livestock related to its productive use during this period and in this geographical area. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-0e88b9da244840cc94b2f511812b6a8d2024-12-27T14:05:56ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-12-011424369310.3390/ani14243693Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern IberiaGabriel Anaya0Juan Manuel Garrido1José Antonio Riquelme2Rafael Mª. Martínez3Alberto Membrillo4José Antonio Caro5Ana Pajuelo6Adrián Ruiz7José C. Martín de la Cruz8Antonio Molina9MERAGEM (AGR-158) Research Group, Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, CN IV KM 396, 14014 Cordoba, SpainINREPA (HUM-262) Research Group, Department of History, University of Córdoba, Plaza Cardenal Salazar, 3, 14003 Cordoba, SpainINREPA (HUM-262) Research Group, Department of History, University of Córdoba, Plaza Cardenal Salazar, 3, 14003 Cordoba, SpainDepartment of History, University of Córdoba, Plaza Cardenal Salazar, 3, 14003 Cordoba, SpainDepartment of Specific Didactics, University of Córdoba, Avda. San Alberto Magno s/n, 14004 Cordoba, SpainCuaternario y Geomorfología (RMN-273) Research Group, Department of History, University of Córdoba, Plaza Cardenal Salazar, 3, 14003 Cordoba, SpainTELLUS (HUM-949) Research Group, Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Seville, Calle San Fernando 4, 41004 Sevilla, SpainINREPA (HUM-262) Research Group, Department of History, University of Córdoba, Plaza Cardenal Salazar, 3, 14003 Cordoba, SpainINREPA (HUM-262) Research Group, Department of History, University of Córdoba, Plaza Cardenal Salazar, 3, 14003 Cordoba, SpainMERAGEM (AGR-158) Research Group, Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, CN IV KM 396, 14014 Cordoba, SpainThe Spanish Merino is the most significant sheep breed globally due to its economic and cultural importance in human history. It has also had a substantial influence on the development of other Merino and Merino-derived breeds. Historical sources indicate that crossbreeding to produce finer, higher-quality wool was already taking place in the south of the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman era. This evidence suggests that individuals with a racial pattern very similar to that of the modern Merino may have already existed on the peninsula. The presence of the skeletal remains of these animals at various human settlements dated to the late fourth and third millennia BC could provide insights into the genomics of these ancestral sheep. This study analyses ancient DNA extracted from nine skeletal remains from three archaeological sites in Southern Iberia, dated to the third millennium BC. The samples were sequenced and aligned with the ovine genome. The genetic distances observed among the samples indicate a closer relationship between several animals from the Marinaleda (Seville) and Grañena Baja (Jaén) sites. The study of the slaughter/death age profiles identified at La Minilla (La Rambla, Córdoba) suggests an approach centred on meat exploitation, while the data from Marinaleda (Seville) and Grañena Baja (Jaén) indicate the potential exploitation of secondary resources. A review of the composition of these small ruminant herds could provide insights into the type of secondary resource exploitation that may have been prioritised. Our aim is to investigate the presence of distinct production systems, differentiating between those aimed primarily at meat use and those focused on secondary products. This is the first approach to exploring the genetic evidence for sheep livestock related to its productive use during this period and in this geographical area.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3693late fourth and third millennia BClivestock productionsheepgenomicsancient DNAsequencing |
| spellingShingle | Gabriel Anaya Juan Manuel Garrido José Antonio Riquelme Rafael Mª. Martínez Alberto Membrillo José Antonio Caro Ana Pajuelo Adrián Ruiz José C. Martín de la Cruz Antonio Molina Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia Animals late fourth and third millennia BC livestock production sheep genomics ancient DNA sequencing |
| title | Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia |
| title_full | Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia |
| title_fullStr | Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia |
| title_short | Ancient DNA Reveals the Earliest Evidence of Sheep Flocks During the Late Fourth and Third Millennia BC in Southern Iberia |
| title_sort | ancient dna reveals the earliest evidence of sheep flocks during the late fourth and third millennia bc in southern iberia |
| topic | late fourth and third millennia BC livestock production sheep genomics ancient DNA sequencing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3693 |
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