Publications by authors named "Emmanuelle Vila"
We report the first large-scale palaeoproteomics research on eastern and southern African zooarchaeological samples, thereby refining our understanding of early caprine (sheep and goat) pastoralism in Africa. Assessing caprine introductions is a complicated task because of their skeletal similarity to endemic wild bovid species and the sparse and fragmentary state of relevant archaeological remains. Palaeoproteomics has previously proved effective in clarifying species attributions in African zooarchaeological materials, but few comparative protein sequences of wild bovid species have been available.
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- Donkeys played a crucial role in human history as reliable transport animals, especially in tough terrains, yet their significance is not thoroughly researched.
- A study analyzed the genomes of 207 modern and 31 ancient donkeys, revealing that they were domesticated in Africa around 5000 BCE, with subsequent expansions across Africa and Eurasia.
- The research discovered a new genetic lineage from the Levant around 200 BCE, which contributed to donkey ancestry in Asia, highlighting the historical importance of donkeys in economies, particularly during the Roman era when mules were vital.