- Man's second best friend has been around 5,000 years
longer than thought, according to scientists who have unearthed evidence
of the world's first pet cat.
-
- The animal, buried in a 9,500-year-old grave alongside
a human skeleton presumed to be that of its owner, was identified as Felis
silvestris, the African wildcat.
-
- Historians believed Egyptians first made pets of cats
4,000 years ago. Scientists, however, have suspected that tamed cats existed
before the Egyptian era, but there was no evidence.
-
- But now the discovery at Shillourokambos, in Cyprus,
a Neolithic village inhabited from 8300BC, provides that evidence of association
between cat and human.
-
- Archaeologists found artefacts in the grave that indicated
that the person had social standing. The cat was buried next to it, in
its own grave.
-
- Jean-Denis Vigne, the research leader, from the Museum
of Natural History in Paris, said: "This strengthens the idea of a
special burial and indicates a strong relationship."
-
- The experts believe that if the cat had not been intentionally
buried, its bones would have disarticulated. "Not only is it intentionally
buried; it was protected," said Mr Vigne.
-
- It looks as if the animal - aged about eight months -
was the person's pet and had been killed to join its owner in the "afterlife".
-
- Both cat and human had been placed in the ground symmetrically,
with their heads pointing to the west.
-
- "I am not completely convinced that the common orientation
of the skeletons makes sense," said Mr Vigne. "However, if it
did, I think that this strong proximity between both of them in death should
be interpreted as additional evidence of a strong relationship in life."
-
- And he added: "It is an exceptional discovery."
-
- The discovery excited cat experts. Jo Rothery, the editor
of Cat World magazine, said: "It's fascinating.
-
- "Hand-reared wild species often make tame pets.
This wildcat would never have been as tame as today's domestic cat, but
it could have been manageable as a pet.
-
- "People say cats are independent animals, but at
the same time they relate very closely to people."
-
- Cats have become the most popular pet in Britain, taking
the top spot from dogs two years ago.
-
- Roger Breton, an expert on felines, added: "Domestication
of cats was not easily accomplished, as they have no built-in co-operative
instincts, but the mechanics of it were simple.
-
- "People gave up nomadic lifestyles for agrarian
communities. Stored crops attracted vermin, which attracted wildcats, which
were encouraged to stay. First they were approached, then petted and eventually
held."
-
- ©2004 Scotsman.com http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=401842004
|
