• Approximately 9,000 years ago, human communities in Southwest Asia underwent a dramatic transformation, known as the Neolithic revolution. • This period was marked by pronounced changes in how they lived and sourced food, with a shift from living on the move, hunting and gathering to permanently residing in one place, farming and herding of animals.

Article Summaries:

  • Archaeological research in southwestern Iran has uncovered evidence that people were consuming goat and sheep dairy products as early as 9,000 years ago. The findings, based on residue analysis of pottery and other artifacts, suggest that Neolithic communities were not only domesticating these animals for meat and wool but also extracting milk, marking one of the earliest known uses of dairy. This discovery adds to the broader picture of the Neolithic revolution in the region, where hunter‑gatherers transitioned to settled farming and herding societies, reshaping their diet and way of life.

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