Turkey's New Earliest Discovered Domestication 1,500 Years ago in Mexico

In the heart of Turkey time it is only right to write about turkeys. Very intriguing yet an enigmatic part of domesticating animals was when were they initially domesticated. Turkey bones founded that provided evidence of domestication were founded in northern Mexico that were dated back to 500 A.D and in the United states that dated back to 600 A.D. This recent discovery founded by Gary Feinman in Oaxaca, Mexico during excavation of several intact eggs and multiple bones were dated back to 400 A.D which is about 1,500 years ago.

Turkey bone and egg shell remains found in Oaxaca, Mexico dated to 400 and 500 AD. (Linda Nicholas/TheFieldMuseum)

In decades of excavating he has never found eggs intact like that or even just in that quantity before. It was discovered under two houses in the Mitla Fortress in 2009. Once inhabited by the Zapotec people, it was put together that they were the reason for these findings. They would often perform blood sacrifices before big events and it was told that when new houses were constructed they would sacrifice a turkey hatchling, eat it and then bury it in the floors for good luck. A decent amount of egg shells and a plethora of adult and baby turkey bones were found throughout the houses. They were known to do sacrifices with dogs as well and eat them. Heather A. Lapham from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill has confirmed the bones and eggs both belonged to turkeys. The evidence was then proved by an outside source Joel L. Cracraft.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/science/turkey-domestication-mexico.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

Labels: Oaxaca, Mexico, Joel L. Craft, Heather A. Lapham, Zapotec