The Origins and Development of African Livestock

Of particular interest to those studying the history of the African continent, this book takes its place as a standard reference in the field of livestock studies.
This text explores the origins, development and present situation of African domestic animals. The book presents an interdisciplinary overview of the origins of livestock, and provides a synthesis of what archaeozoology and archaeology can tell us about the prehistory of domestic animals in Africa. Information is provided on livestock distributions over time, including significant information on the development of specific cattle size classes or "breeds" in prehistory. Data on DNA and physical characterization of African livestock, as well as ethnographic and linguistic data complete a biological and cultural view of African domestic animals.