In 2004 archaeologists at Shillourokambos in Cyprus found a human grave, about 9,500 years old, in which a cat had been buried beside its owner, evidence that people had a close bond with cats as early as 7500 BC. Wildcats in the Fertile Crescent probably moved into early villages to hunt the mice that raided grain stores, and farmers tolerated them. Genetic studies show that all domestic cats descend from the Near Eastern wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica, and that cats spread with farmers and ships. In Egypt, cats were revered as sacred from about 2000 BC, and mummified in their millions.
Before and after
- c. 8,400 BCEEruption of Michinmahuida
- c. 8,230 BCEEruption of Grimsvotn
- c. 8,050 BCEEruption of Aira
- from 76th century BCE to 25th century BCEChalcolithic
- 76th century BCECats begin to live with farmers
- from c. 7,500 BCE to 5,700 BCEConstruction of Çatalhöyük
- c. 7,460 BCEEruption of Pinatubo
- c. 7,420 BCEEruption of Fisher
- c. 7,350s BCEConstruction of Cueva de las Manos
More in Evolution & life
- about 41,000 years agoNeanderthals disappear from Europe
- from about 40,000 years ago to 31,000 years agoAurignacian
- about 23,100 years agoPeople are already in North America
- about 15,100 years agoDogs are domesticated
- about 13,000 years agoThe megafauna of the Americas die out
- c. 9,750s BCEQuaternary extinction event
The era
This moment belongs to the Human prehistory (300,000 years ago to 3,200 BCE), the human story before writing.