Ancient Mitochondrial Genomes Provide New Clues to the Origin of Domestic Cattle in China

Abstract

Cattle are one of the six livestock species that have occupied an important place in Chinese history. Previous ancient DNA studies have indicated that Chinese taurine cattle (Bos taurus taurus) are exotic, but the exact route and diffusion by which they were introduced to China is unknown. In this study, we extracted the mitochondrial genomes of 34 cases of ancient taurine cattle (from the late Neolithic to Qin and Han dynasties) excavated from sites in northern China and the eastern Eurasian steppe, and successfully obtained 14 mitochondrial genome sequences. The results of ancient DNA analysis reveal that with cultural exchange and trade, there was close genetic exchange between domestic taurine cattle in different regions. The haplotypes shared by domestic cattle have genetic continuity, reflecting the strong cultural influence of the large capital city sites such as Taosi, Shimao and Erlitou on the surrounding areas. This study suggests that ancient northern Chinese taurine cattle may have accompanied the westward transmission of agricultural or painted pottery culture and thus had a maternal genetic contribution to modern Tibetan cattle.

A pair of Chinese Shang oracle graphs Niu and Yang for certain livestock originate from the Neolithic Fertile Crescent

“…This discovery along with other related archaeological and textual data reveals the trade networks from ancient Turkey, via Fertile Crescent to Central Asia, even stretched to Altai Mountains (Powell W. et al, 2022). Two trade and exchange routes from Central Asia to the middle Yellow River region are revealed by taurine cattle and sheep dispersal (Cai D. et al, 2014b(Cai D. et al, , 2016(Cai D. et al, , 2018aZhang N. et al, 2023aZhang N. et al, , 2023bBrunson et al, 2023). One route was inside ancient China, via Xinjiang, Gansu Qinghai corridor, another one via Eurasia steppe.…”

A pair of Chinese Shang oracle graphs Niu and Yang for certain livestock originate from a pair of Halaf pottery motifs bucrania and mouflons, which spread across prehistoric Old World.

“…Mountains (Powell et al, 2022). Two trade and exchange routes from Central Asia to the middle Yellow River region were revealed by taurine cattle and sheep dispersal (Cai D. et al, 2014b(Cai D. et al, , 2016(Cai D. et al, , 2018aZhang N. et al, 2023aZhang N. et al, , 2023bBrunson et al, 2023). One route was inside ancient China, via Xinjiang, Gansu Qinghai corridor, another one via the Eurasia steppe.…”