Anders Götherström

Anders Götherström

Anders Götherström received his initial training in scientific archaeology at Stockholm University, taking a special interest in family structures in medieval societies. After graduating his Ph.D. training, he has focused his work in three major areas. First, he takes an interest in the transition from hunter/gatherer societies to farming societies, and especially in early animal domestication.  He has also been working on the effect the Pleistocene climatic changes has had on the European carnivores. Finally, he is interested in the methodology and specifics of DNA from ancient tissue. Anders has worked in Madrid , at Universidad Complutense, but is presently heading a research group at the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University.

Animal domestication and the foundation of the modern lifestyle

Eventually this development took us to where we are today. One of the cornerstones in the Neolithization was animal domestication. As far as we know, only one important domesticate predates the Neolithization (the dog), while several emerged with the process. In most cases, they show a uniform pattern, with one or a limited amount of origins, but backcrossing from the wild fauna occurring with varying frequency. One domesticate appears more important than others, the domestic cattle (Bos taurus). While the earliest evidence for domestic cattle has been found on Cyprus , it rapidly spread over Europe .

An interesting feature with this animal is the alternative nutritional source it provides for humans through milk, and what effect this may have had on the Neolithization and the development of the early farming societies in Europe .