Animals probably derived from Central Asia.
From this outline it is clear the domestic[1] animals were not domesticated in Europe, but that they had already been under the care of man probably for long ages in some other region. The turf-hog, the Celtic short-horn, the sheep, and the goat, must have been domesticated in the countries in which their wild ancestors were captured by the hunter in Central Asia. To this region also belong the jackal, the wild boar, and the wild horse, and in ancient times the urus. It is therefore probable that all these domestic animals came into Europe with their masters from the south-east,—from the Central Plateau of Asia, the ancient home of all the present European peoples.
This conclusion is confirmed by an examination of the Neolithic cultivated seeds and fruits.
The Cultivated Seeds and Fruits.
The seeds and fruits, cultivated by the Neolithic inhabitants of the Swiss pile-dwellings, give us most important information as to the arts of agriculture and gardening in the Neolithic age. In the fields, as Pro-
- ↑ I am not aware of any well-authenticated case of the discovery of any of the domestic animals in any part of Europe in any deposits older than the Prehistoric age; and I find, on consulting Professors Gaudry and Rütimeyer, and Drs. Virchow and Forsyth Major, that they also have not met with the domestic animals in the undisturbed Pleistocene strata of their respective countries. The remains of the domestic animals, however, are frequently found in caverns brought into association with Pleistocene species, either by the hand of man, or by the burrowing of rats, rabbits, badgers, or foxes.
