Archaeologica.org

LONDON, ENGLAND—An international team of scientists formed a multidisciplinary project called LeCHE (Lactase Persistence in the early Cultural History of Europe) to investigate the interaction of genes and culture in the populating of Europe. They think that a “two-step milk revolution” may have provided the nutrition needed to survive in the northern climates. The first step of the revolution required cattle herders to learn how to ferment milk to make cheese and yogurt. Mélanie Roffet-Salque of the University of Bristol discovered milk fats on a piece of perforated 7,000-year-old pottery from Poland, illustrating this step. Cheese and yogurt are easier for adults to digest than raw milk. The second step was a genetic mutation that allows human adults to digest milk. This mutation may have contributed to the rapid spread of farmers and herders through Europe. “It could be that a large proportion of Europeans are descended from the first lactase-persistent dairy farmers in Europe,” said population geneticist Mark Thomas of University College London. An examination of cattle and the bones of other animals that provide milk shows that the domesticated cattle at Neolithic sites in Europe were more closely related to cows from the Middle East than local wild aurochs. “For a long time, the mainstream of continental European archaeology said Mesolithic hunter-gatherers developed into Neolithic farmers. We basically showed they were completely different,” said palaeogeneticist Joachim Burger of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz.

http://www.archaeology.org/news

http://www.nature.com/news/archaeology- ... on-1.13471

There have been a few posts on this news release.

What I would like to know is when and where the switch from goat/sheep milk to bovine milk occurred.

They are very different animals that require very different human/ animal interactions.
(I speak as one who spent some time in cow dairy barns, and has watched dairy goat operations.)

There have been a few posts on this news release.

A day late and a dollar short I guess . . . Again.

One of the silver linings to having your memory go on you is so much is new and interesting !

Don't you wonder who the genius was who got the idea to eat sour milk?

“Don't you wonder who the genius was who got the idea to eat sour milk?”

I would guess they were a cousin of whoever thought of seeing what a snail tasted like.

And I didn't mean "many posts" on this board.
Just that there were a number of news stories based on this news release.

Anyway, where and when the switching from goats/sheep to cows?

I am guessing after the start of farming since milk cattle are not good at foraging and need nightly protection.

I seem to recall that after an animal is killed, an udder filled with milk will naturally form a cheese.

To my knowledge, no one ever tried to milk a buffalo.

To mu knowledge, no one ever tried to milk a buffalo.

I'd like to know how anyone could milk a live auroch.

E.P. Grondine wrote:I seem to recall that after an animal is killed, an udder filled with milk will naturally form a cheese.

To mu knowledge, no one ever tried to milk a buffalo.

Seems dangerous.

“I'd like to know how anyone could milk a live auroch.”

I think the OP said that they brought their domestic cattle with them.
(A DNA match attempt.)
Maybe to avoid just such a need.

When you think about it, an auroch bull would be a prize to a HG group and a disaster to a group with tame cows in a pen.

E.P. Grondine wrote:I seem to recall that after an animal is killed, an udder filled with milk will naturally form a cheese.

Rennet is a necessary ingredient in cheese making. It causes the milk to coagulate, forming curds. It is most commonly found in the stomachs of immature mammals. (yes there are vegan substitutes) I don't believe it has ever been found in mammaries.