Domestication of Pigs

Pigs were domesticated from the wild boar independently in at least two locations roughly 9,000 years ago: in Anatolia and the wider Near East, and separately in the Mekong and Yangtze River regions of China, with genetic studies suggesting further, less certain independent domestication events elsewhere in Eurasia. Because wild boar populations continued to interbreed with domestic herds in both regions long after initial domestication, the genetic picture is more complex than for many other livestock species. Pigs became a major meat source across Eurasia, particularly in East Asian and European farming traditions, prized for their rapid reproduction, omnivorous diet and ability to convert food waste into meat.