Peabody Museum: Human Footprint
DOMESTICATION
Our Furry Companions
Artificial selection in dogs has created many dog breeds, but they all have a wolf ancestor.
Dogs and cats were first drawn to people as sources of food—either directly receiving food from humans or indirectly by catching rodents in stored grain. Humans have bred dogs for companionship, protection, and for hunting, herding, and pulling sleds.
1. Gray wolf
Canis lupus
The wolf is the ancestor of the dog. Dogs were the first domesticated animals. The dog is the only animal that has been domesticated on all continents since ancient times.
2. French bulldog, a domesticated dong breed
Canis familiaris
Note the shortened nose and underbite of the bulldog. This breed was selectively bred to fight bulls.
3. Greyhound, a domesticated dog breed
Canis familiaris
Greyhounds have been selectively bred for high-speed pursuit. Their elongated snout and small ears are thought to make the head more aerodynamic.
4. Papillon, a domesticated dog breed
You're unlikely to confuse a wolf with a Papillon.
AGRICULTURE
Natural History of Maize
From humble beginnings, maize, or corn, became a staple food in the Americas.
Teosinte (tay-o-SIN-tee), the wild ancestor of maize, doesn't look much like modern corn. Over thousands of years, through artificial selection and use by humans, maize has become the most important food crop of the Americas. Maize is found with archaeological remains and is deeply integrated into human culture.
5. Aztec goddess with maize
190 to 152 CE, Morelos, Mexico
This female figure holding maize is from the Aztec culture of central Mexico about 600 years ago. Goddesses of maize and other grains are linked to the harvest and fertility, and occur worldwide.
6. Teosinte
Zea mexicana
Teosinte, the ancestor of modern corn, grows wild in Central and South America. In the 1950s, scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station grew these ears from kernels from Huixta, Guatemala.
7. Charred maize
Zea sp.
Plants charred by fire can be preserved for thousands of years. Archaeologists have recovered ancient maize spanning spanning 8,000 years of the history of its domestication.
8. Maize effigies
Ceramic
Inca, dates ?, Highlands, Peru
Maize was significant in the everyday life of many cultures.
9. Maize cultivars
Zea mays
Several varieties of maize--flint corn dent corn, sweet corn, and popcorn--have been bred for different uses. Most of the corn grown in the United States is for animal feed. It is genetically engineered for optimal yield and resistance to pests and diseases.
Peabody Museum: Human Footprint
DOMESTICATION
Our Furry Companions
Artificial selection in dogs has created many dog breeds, but they all have a wolf ancestor.
Dogs and cats were first drawn to people as sources of food—either directly receiving food from humans or indirectly by catching rodents in stored grain. Humans have bred dogs for companionship, protection, and for hunting, herding, and pulling sleds.
1. Gray wolf
Canis lupus
The wolf is the ancestor of the dog. Dogs were the first domesticated animals. The dog is the only animal that has been domesticated on all continents since ancient times.
2. French bulldog, a domesticated dong breed
Canis familiaris
Note the shortened nose and underbite of the bulldog. This breed was selectively bred to fight bulls.
3. Greyhound, a domesticated dog breed
Canis familiaris
Greyhounds have been selectively bred for high-speed pursuit. Their elongated snout and small ears are thought to make the head more aerodynamic.
4. Papillon, a domesticated dog breed
You're unlikely to confuse a wolf with a Papillon.
AGRICULTURE
Natural History of Maize
From humble beginnings, maize, or corn, became a staple food in the Americas.
Teosinte (tay-o-SIN-tee), the wild ancestor of maize, doesn't look much like modern corn. Over thousands of years, through artificial selection and use by humans, maize has become the most important food crop of the Americas. Maize is found with archaeological remains and is deeply integrated into human culture.
5. Aztec goddess with maize
190 to 152 CE, Morelos, Mexico
This female figure holding maize is from the Aztec culture of central Mexico about 600 years ago. Goddesses of maize and other grains are linked to the harvest and fertility, and occur worldwide.
6. Teosinte
Zea mexicana
Teosinte, the ancestor of modern corn, grows wild in Central and South America. In the 1950s, scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station grew these ears from kernels from Huixta, Guatemala.
7. Charred maize
Zea sp.
Plants charred by fire can be preserved for thousands of years. Archaeologists have recovered ancient maize spanning spanning 8,000 years of the history of its domestication.
8. Maize effigies
Ceramic
Inca, dates ?, Highlands, Peru
Maize was significant in the everyday life of many cultures.
9. Maize cultivars
Zea mays
Several varieties of maize--flint corn dent corn, sweet corn, and popcorn--have been bred for different uses. Most of the corn grown in the United States is for animal feed. It is genetically engineered for optimal yield and resistance to pests and diseases.